Rape police seek good Samaritans

Police on Tyneside want to trace two good Samaritans who helped a teenage girl shortly before she was raped.

A man and woman took the 17-year-old to a taxi rank in Newcastle city centre, where it is thought they paid her fare because she was in a drunken state.

She was taken to Walker Road and later attacked in her home by an intruder.

Police have appealed for the two "vital witnesses", who helped the girl to the taxi rank outside the Gate complex late on Sunday, to come forward.

They guided her through the city centre from near Idols pub to the Gate between 2320 GMT and 2355 GMT, said Northumbria Police.

Vulnerable victim

The woman is described as having long, dark shoulder-length hair and was wearing dark leggings and a vest-style top.

The man has short dark hair and was wearing a grey, short-sleeved shirt and dark trousers.

Det Insp Tim Miley said: "The fact that the girl had been drinking makes no difference to our investigation - she was vulnerable and alone and her condition was potentially exploited by the attacker. We are determined to bring this offender to justice.

"We need to speak to the couple who helped her to the taxi rank at The Gate as they might have information which could help us identify her attacker; perhaps they saw somebody following her or acting suspiciously."

Detectives also want to trace the taxi driver who dropped the girl off.

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