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Two men have been charged and remanded into custody following a rape in Liverpool City Centre earlier this week.
At around 10pm on Monday 21 March, we received a report that a female had been raped in an alleyway off Parker Street.
Officers attended and quickly arrested a man. A second suspect was arrested a short time later.
Kevin Lloyd, aged 37, of Liverpool has now been charged with rape.
Ryan Dunning, aged 36, also of Liverpool, has been charged with aiding and abetting rape.
Both appeared in court yesterday, Thursday 24 March and have been remanded into custody.
They will appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 20 April.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Parry said, “Rape is a terrifying crime which can have a catastrophic effect on victims for the rest of their lives.
“We urge anyone who has been a victim of any rape or sexual assault to contact Merseyside Police as there is help and support available to you. We have specially trained officers in our dedicated Unity Team who will listen and treat you with sensitivity and compassion. There are also a number of reliable and trusted organisations and charities who will support you throughout – from your initial report, through the court process and beyond.
“On busy nights we have additional officers in key locations in the City Centre who are tasked with identifying potential perpetrators who are displaying signs of predatory behaviour such as loitering without good reason, or giving or approaching females with unwanted attention.
“Staff in licensed premises and other partners have also been given bystander training to help them identify individuals acting suspiciously. Officers are also vigilant to help anyone who may be vulnerable and consider any immediate safeguarding concerns.
“I would encourage anyone with any concerns to seek assistance from bar and door staff or speak to our uniformed officers on the streets who can offer immediate assistance.”
You can report a sexual offence allegation by calling 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers or you can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Support for victims is also available through the registered charity the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre Cheshire and Merseyside, who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063 or Rape and Sexual Assault Merseyside (RASA) on 0151 558 1801. In an emergency, always call 999.
Merseyside Police, alongside three other forces, have also been part of a pilot project for a new service to report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences online – with the option to report anonymously.
The new online Rape and Sexual Assault reporting service is now live on the website here: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/ and enables people who do not require immediate police assistance to report the crime via their local force website.For women who have felt or feel unsafe in public spaces the Home Office has set up a pilot service (StreetSafe | Police.uk (www.police.uk ) for anyone to anonymously report public places where they have felt or feel unsafe, because of environmental issues, e.g. street lighting, abandoned buildings or vandalism and/or because of some behaviours, e.g. being followed or verbally abused. Please note: ‘StreetSafe’ is not for reporting crime or incidents.
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