A police investigation into reports of a rape in Epsom have not uncovered any evidence of the offence taking place, officers have said.
The alleged incident sparked protests in the Surrey town on Wednesday evening after police said they did not yet have enough information to release the description of any suspects.
In a statement released on Friday, Surrey Police said there is”no evidence” that asylum seekers or immigrants were involved. It added officers had reviewed “extensive” CCTV, interviewed potential witnesses and carried out forensic work, but to date “have not found any evidence of the offence as reported”.
The force stressed the investigation is ongoing.
The alleged rape is reported to have taken place on Saturday between 2am and 4am outside Epsom Methodist Church on Ashley Road. The victim, aged in her twenties, said she was followed after leaving Labyrinth Epsom nightclub and then attacked, Surrey Police said previously.
Footage of Wednesday evening’s protest posted on social media showed a large crowd of demonstrators gathering in the town centre. Dozens of police officers could be seen wearing helmets and holding shields, with objects appearing to have been thrown at them.
It is understood no arrests were made at the demonstration.
In the force’s update on Friday, assistant chief constable for local policing Sarah Grahame said there had been “widespread speculation and commentary” following the report of a rape.
“We are aware of the strength of feeling this has created, and of the frustration caused by our limited public comment on the matter,” she said.
“During this time, we have been investigating in depth to establish the sequence of events and to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported incident. We have reviewed an extensive amount of CCTV footage from the area. We have also been interviewing potential witnesses, carrying out forensic investigations and conducting house-to-house enquiries.
“To date, we have not found any evidence of the offence as reported but the investigation is ongoing.
“There has been much speculation about the non-release of a description of any suspects, especially regarding the ethnicity. No descriptions have been released as the information about the incident and potential suspects is so limited. To address the specific commentary, there is no evidence that asylum seekers or immigrants were involved.
“If you have any information or any CCTV, dashcam, or helmet camera footage, please contact us online, or via 101 quoting PR/45260041426.
“We appreciate that you want information. We will continue to tell you as much as we can, to engage with you, to reassure you and to address concerns. We ask for space and time to work through the investigation.
“There will be an increased police presence in Epsom over the weekend.”
On Thursday evening, Epsom Methodist Church held a “community act” which it said allowed residents to express any “feelings of compassion and outrage in a meaningful and positive way”.
Epsom Lib Dem MP Helen Maguire said the protest had been hijacked by “right-wing online activists” who wanted to “fan the flames of divisiveness”, the BBC reported.
