Further Belfast Rape Probed

It has just been revealed that another rape has taken place in central Belfast.

The latest in a series of such sexual attacks took place in the early hours of Friday morning when a 21-year-old woman was assaulted.

She was subject to the attack by a man in a laneway off Arthur Street at about 2.30am - a police spokeswoman said the attacker had long blonde hair and also appealed for anyone with information about the attack to come forward.

In particular, they want to speak to two men who helped the victim after the incident.

Just weeks ago, a man accused of sexually assaulting an earlier victim appeared in court charged with raping a woman in Belfast in the York Street/Donegal Street area during the early hours of Wednesday April 30.

Also, earlier this week, a Belfast man, Anthony West, of Meadowbank Street, who had claimed he had consensual sex with the victim - who was a teenager at the time of the attack last November - has been found guilty of rape.

West had earlier called to her house where she made him a cup of tea in the kitchen but after he went away, he left the back door unlocked, returned later, and after scaling a wall, he sneaked through her house before attacking her.

Another incident this year later saw a youth of just 15 arrested by police investigating the brutal rape of a young tourist.

In April, some 300 people gathered at the scene to show solidarity with the young victim.

A rally was held at the Colin Glen Forest Park in West Belfast where an American tourist was sexually attacked in broad daylight.

Also in April, an 18-year-old girl was raped in a park in south Belfast.

The teenager was attacked in Botanic Park close to Queen's University shortly after midnight.

She was assaulted near the Ulster Museum which is currently closed for extensive renovations.

The young woman had been with a group of friends in the park and as she passed the museum a man dragged her into the bushes and raped her. The attacker also stole the teenager's mobile phone.

There have been several rapes and sex attacks on women in the university area of south Belfast in recent years with MLAs voicing fears that the area is becoming a "hotspot" for attacks on women.

SDLP MLA for the area Carmel Hanna said at the time that she was shocked at the attack: "I am appalled by the rape of the young girl in the Botanic Gardens."

See: Rape Accused For Court

See: Belfast Man Guilty Of Early Morning Rape

(BMcC)