Man named by rape inquiry police

Mr Newton is said to have a dark mole on the left side of his face

Detectives searching for a sex attacker who is thought to have struck twice have named a man they want to question.

David Newton, 55, from Knottingley, West Yorkshire, is described as white, 5ft 6in tall, with a ruddy complexion, no top teeth and a beer belly.

Officers investigating a rape in Leeds in 1997 and an attack on Ilkley Moor in 2006 say Mr Newton may be on his way to Cornwall or already in the county.

A forensics team has been examining his home in Knottingley.

The search for Mr Newton started after police investigating the sex attacks obtained "new information".

It is vitally important that we locate him and speak to him as soon as possible Det Supt Chris Thompson

In the 1997 attack, a 16-year-old girl was raped in Primrose Valley, east Leeds. Her 11-year-old brother was made to lie in bushes nearby as the attack was carried out.

The pair had been looking for frogspawn in a stream.

The second assault was on a 52-year-old woman.

Police have a picture of Mr Newton's metallic powder-blue Land Rover Freelander, registration number NA51 VYM, on the M5.

Police officers were searching Mr Newton's home

Det Supt Chris Thompson said: "We are urgently appealing to the public to contact us with any information that will help us trace David Newton's current whereabouts.

"We would advise anyone who sees him not to approach him, but to contact the police immediately on 999."

Mr Thompson said he thought it likely that Mr Newton was aware police had launched a major search for him.

The detective, a member of West Yorkshire's Homicide and Major Inquiry team, said the public should not approach Mr Newton if they spot him.

"He may well be aware that we are looking for him," he said.

"I am urgently appealing to the public to contact us with any information about his whereabouts.

"I would advise anyone who sees this person to contact us on 999.

"These are assaults are of the most serious nature."