Girl raped onboard train between London and Kent, police appeals for witnesses

The British Transport Police have launched an investigation asking for any leads in connection with the case wherein a 17-year-old girl was raped onboard a train running from London to Kent.

The incident had taken place on May 20 between Eltham and Dartford in one of the toilet cubicles. The police have managed to arrest a 19-year-old but have appealed for witnesses to come forward and share any details they might have.

"Officers investigating a rape on-board a service travelling between Eltham and Dartford are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information," read a statement from BTS.

"At just after 2.30pm on Friday 20 May, a 17-year-old girl was raped in one of the train's toilet cubicles. A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection and released on police bail pending further enquiries," it added, according to a report in The Independent.

Recently, Dorset police's major crime investigation team arrested an 18-year-old man from West Midland on the suspicion of raping a teenage girl in Bournemouth last summer. The girl was playing in the sea with her friends when the accused dragged her into deep water and raped her in July 2018.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), London has seen a 10 percent increase in rape cases during the 12 months to the end of September last year. The city also saw a 41 percent rise in knife point rapes.

There were approximately 7.89 thousand rape offences recorded by police in London between 2019 and 2020, per a report by Statista. While the overall crime rate in London was 83.3 offences per thousand people between April 2020 and March 2021.

"The recent rise in crime in London has happened alongside a decline in both personnel and funding for the London Metropolitan Police," it added.

The police arrested nearly 800 people in a crackdown against violent crime in London. They also managed to seize 280 knives from the arrested individuals. The arrests were carried out over a period of one week in May wherein police officers targeted transport hubs.