Man Arrested After Woman Sexually Assaulted Near Bognor Regis

A man has been arrested after a woman was sexually assaulted in a vehicle layby near Bognor Regis.

The incident happened after the woman, who had been in Bognor Regis town centre on Thursday evening, entered a vehicle near the Tesco Express store in Station Road.

The dark-coloured vehicle then travelled to a bus stop layby on the A259 near the junction with Marsh Lane in Merston, where the driver sexually assaulted her sometime between 11.30pm on Thursday and 1am on Friday.

The victim, who is in her 30s, managed to escape and run to safety before contacting police.

Sussex Police confirmed that a 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and remains in custody while enquiries continue.

Detective Inspector Rebecca Hopkins said:

“This was a highly distressing incident for the victim and we are ensuring she has appropriate support in place as our investigation progresses.

"We have made an arrest and our enquiries are ongoing.

"We still want to hear from witnesses or from anyone with information which could help our investigation.”

Officers are appealing for anyone who was in the Station Road area near Tesco, or who may have seen the vehicle as it left Bognor Regis, to come forward.

Anyone with dashcam or doorbell footage from the area is also urged to contact police.