Another attack on a young woman from behind by a hooded man has emerged just weeks after reports that three young women had fallen victim to similar attacks.

The Herts Advertiser recently reported on three separate incidents where young women, a 14, 15, and 23-year-old, were grabbed from behind by a hooded man.

All three incidents were of similar nature but Herts Police would not link them.

Now another victim has come forward - a 23-year-old woman who had been out with friends in St Albans on Friday, June 17, when a group of them walked home together.

At about 12.45am on June 18, the woman walked the remainder of her journey home alone.

She said: “I had just started to walk down the alleyway that links Lemsford Road and Jennings Road when about 10ms down it, a hooded white man came from behind and took my shoulders.

“I dropped my phone and my bag and tried to get free of his grip, shouting to try and scare him.

“He managed to get me onto the ground and tried to get up my skirt when suddenly he just ran off, down towards Jennings Road in the opposite direction of where he came from.”

The woman, who did not wish to be named, returned home and phoned the police. Officers attempted to track the attacker with no success. He is said to be aged around 25, slim build and wearing a black hoodie with the hood up.

The woman changed and the police took the clothes she had been wearing as evidence.

The victim added: “About a week ago I got a call from the woman who was looking after this case saying that my case was not linked to any others in the area, which I found surprising as I had heard of others over the last few weeks.

“The police were helpful at the time but since then as there have been no other developments and I wasn’t able to fully identify the attacker, I haven’t heard much from them.”

Detective Sergeant Jonathan Green, from the St Albans Local Crime Unit, said: “Whilst these crimes do appear similar, at this stage it is not believed that they are linked. However, we are continually reviewing information to establish if there are any links between crimes and monitor any new information that comes to light.

“I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to solve these crimes and we have increased police patrols to help keep the public safe.”