Woman raped while walking dog in playpark as cops hunt attacker

The man, who was wearing dark clothing and a beanie hat, fled the scene after carrying out the sick attack.

A woman was raped while walking her dog in a playpark, with a police investigation now underway. The horror incident happened around 10pm on an open grassy area of ground off Westerpark Avenue in Blantyre on Tuesday.

The woman was walking her dog at the spot, near to Abernethy Avenue, when she was approached by a man who she didn’t know. She was then subjected to a serious sexual assault before the man fled the scene.

The suspect is described as a white male, 5ft 9 in tall and was wearing dark clothing and a black beanie hat. A manhunt is now underway and police are appealing to the public for their help in finding the sick attacker.

The assault took place close to a residential area so locals are urged to come forward if they saw or anything toward, or noticed a man matching the description above.

In the meantime, extra police patrols are happening in the South Lanarkshire town to assure locals who may be left worried by Tuesday’s events.

Detective Sergeant Raymond Giulianotti said: “This was a terrifying experience for the woman and extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace the individual responsible.

“This attack happened very close to a busy residential area, and we are appealing for help from the local community.

“If you heard or saw anything at all suspicious, or noticed a man matching the above description, please get in touch. We’d be particularly keen to hear from anyone with private CCTV or dashcam footage which could be of significance to our investigation.

“Incidents of this nature can understandably cause concern, and we’ll have additional patrols in the area to provide reassurance as we continue our enquiries.”

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 1402 of Thursday, 9 September, 2026. You can also speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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