Man arrested after ‘serious sexual assault’ in York

Two police vans were parked in the alleyway linking Spurriergate with Church Lane throughout Thursday afternoon (September 17) after the alleged incident.

The lane has been cordoned off with officers asking people to avoid the area.

North Yorkshire Police said an investigation is underway into the alleged sexual assault which is said to have happened in the early hours of Thursday.

The force said the alleged victim is being supported by specialist officers.

Police in Spurriergate on Thursday (September 17) following a reported serious sexual assault (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Workers at bars and restaurants in Low Ousegate said there was no police presence in the area when they finished their shifts at 11.30pm on Wednesday.

A staff member at the Cooplands bakery in Low Ousegate said two police vans were parked in the alleyway when she arrived for work at 6.30am on Thursday.

The vans were parked at either end of the alleyway, she said, and the vehicles remained in Spurriergate and in Church Lane by Wednesday afternoon.

She added that the police vans had remained in the alleyway since she saw them at 6.30am.

A shop worker in Spurriergate said there has been an increase in reports of crime in the area and called for people in the community to “think about these things and play a role”.

“It’s just becoming really bad,” she said. “Day by day, we see disturbing scenes. It affects people.

“We don’t know what’s happened [in the alleyway] – but we have become apart of it [by being near the scene of the alleged incident].

“They [the police] are doing their jobs, but we don’t really want something like this to happen to anyone.

“As a community we need to think about these things and play a role.”

A York resident said it was “distressing” to hear about the reported incident before seeing the police presence in the alleyway between Spurriergate and Church Lane.

“I find it very distressing that this is happening in York,” he said, “but I’m happy that the police have done their job about it.”

Police said a 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the alleged incident and remained in custody on Wednesday.