By CASEY NEILL
A MAN dressed only in black jeans sexually assaulted a woman in her car as she stopped in traffic in Noble Park.
She was at the Simpson Street and Heatherton Road intersection about 7pm on Wednesday 3 July when the attacker opened her front passenger door and got in.
Detective Acting Sergeant Steve Higgins said he grabbed and squeezed the 39-year-old Springvale woman’s breast over her clothes.
She screamed at him to exit the car as she continued to drive, and he fled near the Heatherton Road and Hosken Street intersection, about 600 metres away.
She suffered a minor scratch to her neck when he grabbed her throat during the assault.
Det Act Sgt Higgins said the victim reported the incident to police the following day because she was worried other women wouldn’t be able to react as forcefully as she did in the situation.
“She didn’t want it to happen to anyone else,” he said.
“We want to get him.”
The Dandenong Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) detective said Victoria Police had created a FACE image from her description of the attacker.
“She got a really good look at him. He was in the car for several minutes,” he said.
He’s described as 17 to 21 and Islander in appearance with a solid, muscular build, brown eyes, short black, spikey hair and tanned skin.
Det Act Sgt Higgins said police received several Triple zero calls at the time of the incident from witnesses and sent officers to investigate, but could not locate the man described.
He said there had been no similar incidents in the area but he was likely to be a local.
Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 with any information.
