Teenage girl ‘raped’ and another ‘sexually assaulted’ on Bournemouth beach

Two teenagers are said to have been sexually assaulted on a beach in Bournemouth; a man has already been charged in connection with both incidents.

Detectives are now appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward as they investigate a report that one of the girls was raped and the other was sexually abused.

Dorset Police said they were called at 8.40pm on Sunday, May 19, and were told the incident had occurred in the Bournemouth Oceanarium area at around 7.30pm the same evening. The alleged victims are being supported by specially trained officers and investigations into this case are ongoing.

A 24-year-old man from Bournemouth has since been arrested and charged with two counts of rape and sexual assault. He is due to appear at Poole Magistrates Court today.

Detective Inspector Mark Fursman, of Dorset Police, said: “This is still an extensive ongoing investigation and I would appeal to anyone who has any information that could assist our investigation to please come forward. “I would like to appeal to anyone who died on Sunday evening, November 19th May 2024, if you have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area of ​​the Oceanarium, please contact us.

“I would also like to ask anyone who took footage or pictures of the beach that evening to review the footage to see if they captured anything that could assist our investigation.”

“We fully recognise that reports of this nature can be of concern to our local communities and I would like to reassure the public that there will be an increased police presence in the area and that the public can contact officers with any information or concerns.”

“We will also be working with our partners again to ensure a visible presence in the beach and marine area as we enter the summer months. This was a swift and detailed investigation and we consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service, who have authorised the charges.

“This matter is currently the subject of legal proceedings and therefore it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time. It is vital that the legal proceedings are allowed to take their course and I would remind the public that there should be no comments or sharing of information online or on social media that could potentially damage those proceedings.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101.