The police arrested a suspect in connection with a violent sexual assault in Zeist.
The police arrested a suspect in connection with a violent sexual assault that occurred last Friday in the woods near Zeist, close to Utrecht. A woman was attacked in broad daylight, leading to a large-scale search operation.
Earlier today, a man approached another woman who closely matched the description of the attacker. When she started screaming, he fled the scene. On Wednesday, the police released clear images of the suspect, leading to several crucial tips from the public.
The authorities did not disclose the age of the suspect or his place of residence. According to the victim, the attacker spoke English with an Eastern European accent. She described him as a strong-built man, aged between 30 and 40 years, about 1.80 meters tall, with short hair and light skin. The victim of the attempted assault provided a similar description, noting that he was wearing a sleeveless black shirt and short jeans. Later, the police said he could be older, up to 50 years old.
The assault led to a large police operation involving a significant number of officers, as well as tracking dog teams and a helicopter to monitor the area, but the suspect initially managed to escape. Despite his arrest on Thursday, investigators are still urging witnesses to provide any information they may have about the incident.
The police confirmed that the man is currently held in solitary confinement, meaning he can only communicate with his lawyer. According to Dutch law, suspects can be detained for three days at the beginning of the investigation, and this period can be extended for another 14 days. After that, the court can order consecutive detention periods of up to 90 days pending trial.