A manhunt is in place to find a potentially Middle Eastern man after a woman reported she had to fight off a man who tried to rape her in a park.
The woman, in her 20s, reported that she was approached by a man in Walpole Park in Ealing on January 13 at around 6.30 pm.
He is said to have pushed her to the ground and then attempted to sexually assault her, but she was able to fight him off.
Police believe the suspect may have been left with a scar from this.
The victim reported the incident to police on the same day and the case has been under investigation ever since.
Nearly five months on, the Metropolitan Police has released an e-fit image based on the suspect’s description.
He is described as being of skinny to average build, with thick, dark-brown hair.
At the time of the attack, he was wearing a black puffer jacket, grey trousers, and black shoes with white soles.
He appeared to be of Middle Eastern heritage, the Met said.
Detective Constable Grace Doolan, who is leading the investigation, said: "The victim in this case was subjected to a truly shocking assault.
"She has shown real bravery in reporting this to police, and is being supported by specialist officers.
"The description she provided has allowed us to put together an e-fit of a man we would like to speak to.
"She also told officers she had managed to scratch the suspect’s face when attempting to escape - something which may have left a noticeable mark.
"We understand the alarm arising from cases like this.
"We have explored various lines of enquiry, and are now releasing this e-fit in the hope that someone may recognise this man.
"We also believe there may have been people who saw or heard something happening in the park without realising what was taking place.
"We would ask anyone who remembers being in the area at the time, and who might have information, to come forward and speak to us."
Anyone who has information or recognises the man is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference 6428/13JAN.
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