Man Wanted By Police After Rape Appeal

Over the weekened we highlighted an appeal by Cheshire Police to trace a man they wish to speak to in connection with a rape in Chester. Today police have appealed again for information, revealing he may have links to the North Wales area.

The search continues for 37-year-old Peter Watton who is local to the Chester area but also has links to Crewe, Merseyside and North Wales.

The public is urged not to approach Peter who was released from prison on 12 June and is in breach of his licence conditions. He is considered a risk to the public and is wanted on a recall to prison.

Peter has some distinctive tattoos which include the word PETE on the knuckles of his left hand in blue ink, a tribal tattoo on his left arm his wrist up to his neck, and the word BLACON in blue ink on the wrist of his left forearm.

On the afternoon of Friday 14 June 2013, a 44-year-old woman was held for several hours and raped in woodland while jogging with her pet dog in the Dukes Drive area of Handbridge. She is being supported by specialist officers.

Detective Superintendent Andy Southcott said: “This was a brutal attack and I know the community have been shocked to hear about it. While I do not want to create unnecessary panic I have a duty to make people aware of this, and to do all I can to find the person responsible.

“I would particularly appeal to people that know Peter but may not have spoken to police through some sense of misguided loyalty to get in touch. We want to speak to him about a very serious crime and people with information should take this opportunity to share it with us.

A picture of a bike used by the suspect has also been released. Police believe this bike may have been stolen and are keen to speak to anyone in the Chester area that may be missing a grey/blue X rated mountain bike.

Active searches are ongoing to locate Peter using various resources including police dogs.

Detective Inspector Simon Lonsdale said: “This is a very serious but isolated incident. I would like to reassure the public that we have a number of lines of enquiry that we are following and extra police and support officers will be patrolling the area. People using the area around Eaton Road and the river Dee should remain vigilant and take basic precautions such as not going to isolated areas alone and reporting anything untoward to police.”

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Peter Watton should call Cheshire Police on 999 quoting incident number 6 of 15 June, or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.