A woman who initially claimed she was gang raped outside a church in Epsom has admitted she banged her head and made a confused report. The case sparked mass disorder in Epsom, where police clashed with protesters attempting to vandalise migrant hotels.
Investigation Concluded
Surrey Police said they had concluded a thorough investigation, tracking the woman's movements from Labyrinth Epsom nightclub via CCTV and carrying out forensic tests. A spokesman stated: 'Through this examination of all evidence, we can conclude that no sexual offence occurred on this occasion, and we are closing the investigation. What has become clear is that a woman in her 20s during a night out in Epsom sustained an accidental head injury prior to making a confused report.'
The woman involved gave permission to share this information and continues to be supported by relevant services.
Riots and Arrests
This week, a mob marched through Epsom, burst into a Travelodge, and egged a vulnerable adults home, believing they were migrant hotels. This occurred after detectives had already said there was no evidence the incident took place as reported or that any immigrants or asylum seekers were involved.
Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said some of those involved in the unrest had travelled from elsewhere to cause trouble. 'The mindless scenes we witnessed last night, where our police officers were targeted with missiles, were nothing short of shameful,' she said. 'I am a firm believer in people's right to lawful protest, but sadly, some of those present in Epsom yesterday stepped way beyond that line, and the type of behaviour we witnessed will not be tolerated.'
Four people were arrested after items were thrown at police in riot gear on Monday evening, and one man appeared to try to climb on top of a police van.
Police Statement on Initial Appeal
The spokesman added: 'To be clear, we take every report of sexual offending seriously, and any such report is treated with sensitivity. To do this, it is imperative that the appropriate time is allowed to complete a thorough investigation and support is given to the complainant to progress enquiries at their own pace. This limits what information we are able to release publicly. At the early stages of this investigation, we issued an appeal for any witnesses or information that could help us progress our enquiries and identify any potential suspects. There was a lack of information in our initial appeal particularly regarding potential persons of interest. This was because the descriptions given were vague and limited. We recognise this caused concern amongst the community. We are now confident that there was no offence, and there were no suspects.'
Political Reaction
The protest was promoted online by Danny Tommo, a former associate of right-wing activist Tommy Robinson. Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom & Ewell, slammed the actions. 'This week, a mob vandalised a supported living home for vulnerable adults, terrifying the residents within,' she wrote. 'The following morning, I joined local volunteers to clear up the mess and show what this community is really made of.'
