Appeal after woman gang raped in Banbury. Thames Valley Police is appealing for a specific witness as well as anyone else with information or footage in connection with a rape in Banbury.
The victim, a woman in her thirties, was raped by a group of men at St Mary’s Church’s churchyard and surrounding area in the town centre in the early hours of this morning (28/9). There is no information provided by Thames Valley Police as to their ethnicity or age.
Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Mark Personius, said: “This is a horrific crime and Thames Valley Police is conducting a thorough investigation to identify the offenders.
“We are supporting the victim with specifically trained officers at this extremely difficult time.
“I am making a public appeal to a specific witness, a woman, who we believe may have tried to help the victim. At this stage, we don’t have a description of this Good Samaritan. However, if you believe you are the woman, please contact the police, as you may have vital information that can help us piece together what happened.
“The town centre would have been busy on a Saturday night into the early hours of a Sunday morning. Therefore, I would also appeal to anyone else who saw or heard anything in the area between about 12 am and 2.30 am this morning to come forward.
“Please check any CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage you have from the area, and if you have captured anything that you think may help us, please get in touch.
“You can contact the force by speaking to an officer at the scene, calling 101 or via a dedicated webpage for this investigation, where you can leave any footage from the area. The investigation reference number is 43250495078.
“There is a scene watch in place at the church to enable us to carry out our forensic examinations. We will also be conducting house-to-house and CCTV enquiries.
“I would like to thank local residents and businesses for their ongoing support while we are in the area carrying out our investigation.”
UPDATE 02.10.25
The Thames Valley Police inquiry into a purported gang rape in a churchyard in Banbury has been closed, since the police found no evidence to support the occurrence of the incident.
An inquiry into a purported rape in Banbury this weekend has revealed no evidence supporting the occurrence of the alleged incident.
Consequently, they are not presently pursuing any individuals in connection with this inquiry.
A third party reported to us that a woman was raped by a gang of males in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church during the early hours of Sunday morning (28/9/25).
They continue to provide help to the woman concerned.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the people highlighted on this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report to Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.