A MAN wanted for questioning in connection with a sexual assault outside Snaresbrook station has fled the country.

Police issued CCTV images of the man after an attack on a 34-year-old mother of two outside Snaresbrook Tube Station on Christmas Eve.

The woman was grabbed on the steps of the footbridge crossing Wanstead High Street as she returned home from a shopping trip at Westfield.

She managed to fight her attacker off, before he walked off in the direction of Wanstead Tube Station.

After examining CCTV footage of the man’s activity at the station, police were able to trace his bank account details through an Oyster card transaction.

But when they turned up at the address the account was registered from, there was no sign of the suspect.

Last month the woman contacted the Guardian to tell us police had told her the man had fled the country.

She said: “They told me he had closed his bank account down and transferred all the money to his brother.

“When they found the brother, he told them the man had left the country for Italy.”

Police were given an address for the man, believed to be an Italian national, but asked us not to disclose the information for fear the suspect would disappear again.

But it has now emerged that they have failed to secure clearance from Italian prosecutors to have the man arrested.

The woman told the Guardian: “They pretty much told me they can’t do anything now unless he returns to Britain, which will probably never happen.

“Apparently there are issues over evidence which make it impossible to take things further.

“I know they have done everything they can to catch up with him, but it seems unfair that he has just got away scott free.”

The assault itself was not captured on CCTV because it occurred on a blind spot on the stairs.

A spokesman for TfL said it was ‘looking at improvements that could be made in that area’ but was unable to confirm whether there were any imminent plans to install cameras.

The woman said: “If they put CCTV in, then at least something good will have come out of this.

“I know a lot of women who don’t like crossing that bridge on their own.”

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "It is believed the man has fled the country, having possibly travelled to Italy.

“Officers have conducted local, national and international enquiries into the incident, as well as viewing CCTV at the station and in the surrounding areas.

"We have also been in contact with other police forces in order to get an arrest warrant but to no avail.

“If you know this man’s whereabouts, I would urge you to contact police and help officers in this investigation.”

Anyone with information about the incident should contact BTP on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 278 of 24/12/11.

Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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