Surrey Police announced on Monday evening they will close their investigation into a report of a rape outside a church in Epsom that led to widespread public disorder. The force received a report of rape in the English town in the early hours of April 11.
The report prompted a “thorough investigation, including an extensive examination of CCTV footage of the woman’s movements, house to house enquiries, interviewing witnesses and forensic tests”, the force said. On April 23, after police examined all the evidence, the force concluded “that no sexual offence occurred on this occasion”. Surrey Police added they are closing the investigation.
Surrey Police’s statement, described as “final” by the force and issued on Thursday evening, added: “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 has given us permission to share this information with you and she continues to be supported by relevant services.”
The force then spoke about the early stages of the probe. The statement read: “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,
“Our local officers will maintain a visible presence in Epsom over the coming days so please speak to them if you have any concerns or questions.”
