Man arrested after woman sexually assaulted near M1 services in Leicestershire

A man has been arrested after a young woman was sexually assaulted near the M1 services in Leicester Forest East.

The woman in her 20s was grabbed from behind and pulled to the ground on Baines Lane at around 6:30pm on Saturday (25 April). Baines Lane is the access route linking the services to the A47 Hinckley Road.

The man ran off towards the southbound services after she began to shout for help.

A 59-year-old has now been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape.

Detective Inspector Jenny Tattersall from Signal, a specialist rape and serious sexual assault team, is the senior investigating officer. She said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has come forward with information and supported our enquiries to date.

“While we’ve made an arrest, our investigation is still very much continuing. I’d urge anyone who can help but has not yet spoken to police to come forward.

“We know anyone using the services may have travelled from outside Leicestershire and I’m appealing for HGV drivers and other drivers who stopped there between 4pm and 7pm to get in touch.”

A dedicated public portal has been set up where anyone who can help can upload dashcam footage or provide information directly to the investigation team. It can be accessed here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM26I77-PO1

You can also pass on information by calling 101 and quoting reference 26*238050.