Man arrested on suspicion of rape and sex assaults

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of a rape and two sexual assaults.

Thames Valley Police said it was stepping up patrols after a woman in her late teens was raped by an unknown man near Mably Way, in Wantage, on Tuesday.

The force said it was also investigating a sexual assault on 21 January and an attempted sexual assault on 24 January in nearby Grove.

A 39-year-old man from Wantage was arrested on Friday and remains in police custody.

The force said at about 23:15 GMT on Tuesday, a man riding a bicycle approached the woman in her late teens as she walked along Grove Road.

He led her to an area behind Mably Way where he raped her, before leaving the area on a black bike.

On 21 January a woman in her late 20s was sexually assaulted as she walked along Main Street in Grove at around 21:30.

And on 24 January a woman in her 40s was walking along Mayfield Avenue, in Grove, at around 23:50 when a lone man attempted to sexual assault her.

Det Ch Insp Stuart May said: "I would like to thank the public for their overwhelming support and the information they have already provided to us since we made a public appeal on Thursday.

"It is positive that we have now made an arrest, but I would continue to urge the public to come forward with any information that may support our investigation as it really does help.

"Our investigation continues at a pace, with additional officers deployed across the area to complete inquiries and provide visible reassurance patrols so if you have any information, questions or concerns then please speak to them."

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