Teenage boy punched and raped in Eccles graveyard
The 17 year old was approached before 2am on 22nd June
A man has been arrested after a teenager was attacked and raped in Eccles.
Shortly before 2am on Saturday 22 June 2019, police were called by hospital staff to reports that a teenage boy had been sexually assaulted in Eccles.
Officers attended the hospital and established that the victim – a 17-year-old boy – was walking through Eccles Town Centre at around midnight when he became engaged in conversation with a man who began walking with him.
As they walked through Eccles Parish Church graveyard, the victim was punched in the stomach before he was raped by the man he had met moments earlier.
Forensic officers attended the scene and a cordon was in place whilst investigative work was carried out. This has since been lifted.
The victim is being supported by specially trained officers.
Following enquiries, a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape later that day. He has been released under investigation pending further enquiries.
Police are appealing directly to a man and a woman who took the teenager to hospital to come forward.
Detective Constable Stephen Hough, of GMP’s Salford district, said: “Specialist officers are continuing to support the teenager and his family as he recovers from this horrific ordeal and we’re continuing to work hard to ensure the person responsible is held to account.
“Whilst we have arrested a man as part of our enquiries, our investigation remains ongoing and we know that a man and woman driving a silver car dropped the teenager off at hospital at around 01:40am.
“I want to stress that they aren’t in any trouble but we really need to speak to them as part of our enquiries so I would appeal directly to them to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 5235 or 101 quoting incident number 268 of 22/06/2019, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111