The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rapist hunt goes on as man freed without charge
Police make fresh appeal after horrific knifepoint attack on 20-year-old
Police are continuing their hunt for a rapist who attacked a woman at knifepoint in Methil after releasing a previous suspect.
The 20-year-old victim was subjected to a terrifying serious sexual assault on Tuesday January 29 on an area of wasteland near Laird Avenue.
A 26-year-old man was arrested shortly after but has been freed without charge and is no longer a suspect.
Officers have now issued a further appeal for witnesses and said all available resources are being used to find the perpetrator, who was believed to be under the influence of drink or drugs.
Door-to-door inquiries will be conducted over the weekend and highvisibility patrols conducted to offer public reassurance.
Detective Inspector Stuart Morris, of Fife’s public protection unit, said: “This was an extremely frightening ordeal for this woman, who continues to assist us with our inquiries and has shown great bravery throughout.”
The woman had walked from Herriot Crescent into Kirkland Road when she was approached from behind by a man wielding a knife at about 8pm.
He forced her into the wasteland and attacked her before fleeing in the direction of a nearby industrial estate.
Anyone with information which could aid the investigation is urged to come forward, particularly the driver of a blue Ford Focus who may have passed just before the rapist struck.
Mr Morris said: “We are continuing with our high-visibility patrols and further door-to-door inquiries will be conducted in and around the local area across the weekend and in the coming days ahead.
“We believe that a blue car, possibly a Ford Focus, may have passed the victim and the suspect immediately prior to the attack.
“I would appeal to any drivers who may have been in Laird Avenue or the surrounding streets around 8pm on Tuesday January 29 and who may have dashcam footage of the area to come forward and provide this at their earliest opportunity.
“We continue to use all available resources at our disposal to investigate this serious incident thoroughly, and would ask that anyone who has any information that can help us identify and trace the man responsible, to contact police immediately.”
The suspect is described as white, in his 20s, around 5ft 8ins and of medium build.
He had light-brown curly hair and was wearing a dark-coloured waterproof jacket and dark-coloured tracksuit bottoms.
Fife public protection unit can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting incident number 3508 of January 29, or Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111.