Screaming woman dragged to ground and sexually assaulted in terrifying attack in Stockwell

Crime reporter(wp/es):

 A young woman was dragged to the ground and sexually assaulted in a terrifying attack in south London.

The attacker fled the scene after the victim began screaming for help, alerting people nearby to what was happening.

The woman, aged in her 20s, was pulled to the floor and attacked outside a block of flats on Binfield Road in Stockwell in the early hours of Sunday morning.

She was set upon at around 4am before the attacker fled to Stockwell Tube station.

Specialist police are now supporting the victim as officers continue to investigate and appeal for witnesses and information.

DS Steve Elliott said police believe a number of people are thought to have been nearby at the time of the assault, which happened outside Strudwick Court.

He said: “We are urgently seeking to speak to any person who may have information in relation to this incident, or the identity of the assailant."

The suspect is described as a man around 5ft 5ins tall, tanned or “dark-skinned European” with dark hair.

Police said he is thought to be aged in his late 20s.

No one has yet been arrested.

New Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick to start work with £40k pay cut and no police pension

Pic:New Met chief Cressida Dick will be paid £40k less than her predecessor 

Staff reporter(wp/es):

New Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick is to take charge of the force next Monday with a £40,000 self-imposed pay cut, it was revealed today. 

Mayor Sadiq Khan said she would take up her role new week becoming the most powerful police officer in the country and the first woman in charge of the force in its 188 year history.

However, the announcement also revealed that Ms Dick, 56, had been offered the £270,648 salary of her predecessor, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, as advertised for the role, but instead she had chosen to take the salary of £230,000.

The decision to take a 15 per cent pay cut is said to have been a “personal choice.”

Ms Dick will also not receive a police pension while she is in the job.

The statement issued by the Mayor does not include an explanation for her decision but it says she takes up her post at a challenging time in the Met’s recent history, “when budgets continue to be tightened, London’s population is booming, some crimes are rising and following the recent horrific terrorist attack in Westminster.“

One of her first engagements will be to attend the full police funeral of PC Keith Palmer in Southwark Cathedral next Monday.

PC Palmer, 48, was killed in the terror attack on March 22 when he tried to stop fanatic Khalid Masood from running into the Palace of Westminster armed with two knives. Masood was shot dead by an armed protection officer. 

Ms Dick is understood to have attended Scotland Yard regularly since the terror crisis at a time she was due to be on holiday.

An insider said: “It was all hands to the pump. She has been low key but her input has been very impressive, she has been very calm.”

Ms Dick, who first joined the Met in 1983, said in a statement: “It is a great honour and privilege for me to be taking up this role. I am looking forward to leading what I believe to be the world’s best police service.

“The Met’s response to the terrible events in Westminster demonstrated it is highly professional and effective.

"I am grateful to my predecessor and his team for the planning that went into building such a response and also to Craig Mackey and Mark Rowley for the way in which they have demonstrated such capable and compassionate leadership.

“Terrorism is just one of the challenges we face. Alongside the Mayor and every single one of our officers and staff I will work tirelessly to keep our city safe.”

Mr Khan said: “Our Metropolitan police do an incredible job, working hard with enormous dedication every single day to keep Londoners safe, so it is vital that they have the best possible leader and I know we have found her in Cressida Dick.

“Cressida has already had a long and distinguished career, and brings enormous experience and expertise to lead the Met through some challenging times.

"I am very much looking forward to working with her to keep our capital safe and protected."