New hope in hunt for sex attacker

The man may have had scratches on his face after the 2006 attack

Police hunting a violent sex attacker in West Yorkshire are investigating 20 new leads after an appeal on the BBC's Crimewatch programme.

Officers have linked an attack on a 52-year-old woman on Ilkley Moor a year ago with the rape of a teenage girl in Primrose Valley in east Leeds in 1997.

Two weeks ago, they marked the first anniversary of the Ilkley Moor attack by appealing for fresh information.

Police say the appeal prompted "a good response" from the public.

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "We are in the process of following up a number of new leads.

"Some names have been suggested and we are following those up."

Knife clue

Despite the number of new leads, detectives still want to hear from anyone with information about either attack.

On 9 July 1997, a 16-year-old girl was collecting frogspawn with her 11-year-old brother in Halton, Leeds, when they were grabbed at knifepoint.

The boy was forced to lie face down in bushes while the man held a knife to the girl's throat and raped her.

A knife was also used in the Ilkley Moor attack on 26 June 2006.

A woman was walking her dogs near the Panorama reservoir when she was knocked to the floor and repeatedly punched in the face.

The blade from the knife he was carrying came away in the struggle

She tried to defend herself with the knife blade, which had broken from the handle in the struggle, but the man continued to punch her and she lost consciousness.

Det Supt Paul Kennedy, who is leading the investigation, said: "We have highlighted before that these were very violent and brutal attacks and that the person responsible has possibly been violent in a relationship before.

"We have also mentioned strangulation as an aspect of the Ilkley attack.

"We particularly want to hear from women who may have been in a relationship with someone they suspect might be this man.

"If you suspect someone then don't allow yourself to be convinced that we already have their DNA and have eliminated them from the inquiry. Let us know your suspicions and allow us to check for ourselves.

"We have forensic evidence from both attacks and can quickly eliminate or implicate a suspect. Don't feel anxious about ringing us and giving us a name.

"Just make that call and we will do the rest."