Greater Manchester Police
The incident occurred on 21 September between 2am and 3am at Major Street, Manchester City Reuters

Greater Manchester police have appealed for information about three suspects who allegedly robbed and raped an 18-year-old at Major Street, Manchester City Centre on Wednesday (21 September) between 2am and 3am BST. According to reports, the teenager was approached by the trio – a man and two women – who pinned her to the ground.

The victim was first robbed of her belongings and then was raped by the male attacker, as his accomplices held her. After the incident, all the three suspects ran towards the city's Gay Village area.

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Detective Inspector Dave Moores of Greater Manchester police said, "This was a horrendous attack on a young woman which has, understandably, left her extremely distressed. We are providing her with support from specially trained officers and have launched a full investigation."

He said that the police received the report of the assault at around 2.50am on Wednesday.

After the girl described the perpetrators, Moores has appealed to the public to provide any information matching the trio to the police. The victim said that the first female attacker, who held her during the robbery, was in her late teens and was of mixed race, skinny build and had her hair tied up in a ponytail. The second woman is said to be in her early 20s and is also of mixed race, and had her hair tied in a messy ponytail. Both the women spoke with a local accent.

The man, she said was white and in his early 20s. He had a clean shaven face, had a slim build and was dressed in sports clothes.

Police has launched an extensive search for the attackers and Moores said, "I would urge anybody who recognises the description of these three and thinks they may have seen them in the city centre area between 2am and 3am to please contact police immediately."

Anybody who has any information about the attackers or those meeting the description can contact the police on 0161 856 1911 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.