THE hunt for the rapist who attacked a teenager in her home took a new turn today after a caller to TV's Crimewatch said -- I know who he is.
The person said they were 'adamant' they knew the identity of the attacker who forced his way into the 18 year-old's home in Great Harwood on January 19.
Detective Inspector Neil Hunter, the officer leading the investigation with 24 officers, also said the programme had given his team many other new leads to follow up after a good response from the public.
DI Hunter said: "Several people recognised the e-fit and someone said 'I'm certain I know who he is'.
"That caller was adamant that person was the offender.
"The people who have phoned are from the right area and these are new clues."
DI Hunter also revealed that a police profiler thought the man had attacked before, or that he had tried his act as a double glazing salesman many times before.
The case of the rape was the first item on last night's programme. Viewers watched a reconstruction of the events.
The teenager had finished her job in the town and began to walk down Blackburn Road, with the man, wearing a black puffa jacket with Umbro stitched in white on the rear, following.
Two people then passed the man as he talked into a light blue Nokia mobile phone.
The man called at the woman's house and claimed to be a double glazing salesman.
He asked for her father, who she said was out, then her mother, who she said was upstairs.
The rapist took a chance that the woman was alone and forced his way in.
The viewers heard the man say: "If you scream I will kill you."
The reconstruction included an interview with the victim, who had earlier told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about her ordeal in an exclusive interview .
She said: "I cannot go out, I am like a child. Before the attack I was a student and went out to parties, did sports and saw my boyfriend. I was a happy 17-year-old."
The victim is still receiving counselling to try to come to terms with what happened, and although she has been back in the house where the attack took place, she is unable to stay there longer than a couple of minutes.
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