Witness sought after sex attack

Police have emphasised the man in the image is not a suspect

Police are keen to trace a man who they say could be a key witness in an ongoing investigation into a serious sexual assault in Kent.

Officers have released CCTV images of the man, from Chatham railway station.

Det Insp Mel Brooks said: " I would like to stress that this man is not a suspect but is a key witness."

But she said he could have important information for police investigating the attack in Victoria Gardens, Chatham, on the evening of 25 August.

Ms Brooks said the 27-year-old victim spent the early part of the afternoon in Chatham High Street with the man shown in the CCTV image.

Footage was captured at the railway station, but the pair did not board a train, she added.

"At some stage they walked to Victoria Gardens where they separated - after this the assault occurred," she said.

The police inspector said officers were keen to hear from the man, and also wanted to hear from anyone who was in the area of Victoria Gardens at the time of the incident.

She said: "Something that may have seemed perfectly innocent to them may be that crucial piece of the puzzle that we need to piece together the moments before and after the assault."