Chloe’s story is why women are afraid to go out in Melbourne at night
CCTV has captured an attacker stalking his victim as she walked home from a night out. He then set upon her, dragging her down a nearby laneway and brutally kicking, bashing and sexually assaulting her. The woman was on her first night out since giving birth. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT.
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EXCLUSIVE: A new mum brutally attacked by a vile sex predator has begged for help to catch him as police offer a $500,000 reward to get her justice.
Chloe — who has taken the courageous step of revealing her identity — told the Sunday Herald Sun she wanted to speak out for all women’s right to be safe.
**WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW**
Police have zeroed in on a suspect and believe several people have information which could solve the case.
It’s only the second time the force has offered such a large reward for what detectives said was one of the most severe sex attacks they’d ever seen.
“It would give me justice,’’ Chloe said.
“You should be allowed to walk where you want to walk. You should be able to do what you want to do. You shouldn’t have to fear for your life.”
Chloe was walking home from a night out with friends in the city when she was stalked for about 1km early on June 30, 2013.
A man dressed in dark clothing approached the then 22-year-old and tried to strike up a conversation on King St, following her past the Witches in Britches theatre restaurant and into North Melbourne.
As Chloe passed Browns Lane the man grabbed her in a bear hug, dragged her down the laneway and knocked her to the ground.
She was repeatedly punched, kicked and sexually assaulted.
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Chloe’s injuries — for the first time revealed in graphic images police released to the Sunday
Herald Sun — were so severe the detective who responded didn’t recognise her at hospital.
She has a permanent facial scar despite undergoing plastic surgery.
“Walking up one street I noticed there was some guy behind me,’ Chloe said.
“When I crossed the road to go over my street I noticed he was behind me again.
“Then after that all I remember is being hit in the side of the head.
“It destroyed me for a really long time.
“I was a new mum — I couldn’t be the mum that I wanted to be because I was dealing with this.”
Chloe, on her first night out since giving birth to a son seven weeks earlier, pleaded with anyone who could help police to speak up.
“Would you want this to happen to someone else?’’ she said.
“What would you do as a family member if someone close to you went through this?
“If my son did this to someone I’m sorry but I wouldn’t keep him away from jail. I wouldn’t.”
Detective Insp Steve Wilson, of the Sexual Crime Squad, said officers had a solid lead on the man responsible.
“We have a suspect in mind — we are just looking for that piece of information that will bring him before the courts,’’ Det Insp Wilson said.
“We believe that there are people who know who this person is. We know there are people who have some information.
“We want to bring those people forward so we can get the justice for Chloe.”
A Crime Stoppers recreation — the first in more than a decade — will be released today to assist investigators’ public appeal.
They are also keen to speak with four men outside the Flagstaff Gardens who the attacker tried to mingle with so Chloe couldn’t see him.
“We really want to nail this,’’ Det Insp Wilson said.
“You can see from the pictures the attack on Chloe was brutal.
“These are some of the worst injuries we’ve seen from a victim of sexual assault. It’s a very extreme case.
“We feel that this is not the actions of somebody committing this crime for the first time.”
He praised Chloe’s courage.
“She is immensely brave to come out and appear before the cameras and give a true insight into the impact this has had on her,’’ he said.
“It was a truly brutal attack on an innocent girl walking home and she deserves justice.”
The offender — last seen running south on Chetwynd St — was of either Asian or Indian subcontinental appearance, medium build and had short black cropped hair and unshaven stubble.
He wore a black top, blue jeans and open leather jacket.
The reward of up to $500,000 will be paid at the discretion of the Police Chief Commissioner for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person responsible.
Information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.
@weshosking
HOW THE ATTACK UNFOLDED
JUNE 30, 2013, 2.55AM
Victim, 22, walks home along King St
Approached near corner La Trobe St
Followed up King St, along Victoria St and into Chetwynd St
Suspect caught on CCTV outside Witches in Britches
Confronted as she passes Browns La
Dragged 5m into laneway
Kicked, bashed and sexually assaulted
Attacker runs off south down Chetwynd St
A MAN POLICE WISH TO SPEAK WITH
Asian or Indian subcontinental appearance
Medium build
Short black cropped hair
Unshaven with stubble.
Wore black top, blue jeans and open leather jacket
CRIME STOPPERS 1800 333 000 or CRIMESTOPPERSVIC.COM.AU