Man arrested after sexual assaults, sniffer dog takes to streets and venues

Specialist detectives from the Staffordshire Police Public Protection Team are investigating a number of sexual assaults in Stoke-on-Trent last Friday morning.  The assaults were reported in the Shelton, Etruria and Hartshill areas and Specialist officers are supporting the victims.  A 25-year-old man, from Stoke on Trent, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, attempted kidnap and sexual assault. He remains in custody and Police are not looking for anyone else at this time.   Anyone who has any information from last Friday morning that can help is urged to get in touch, particularly any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage, including of a black Vauxhall Astra.  Call 101, quoting incident 156 of 17 May, or message them using Live Chat on the Staffordshire Police website.

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Cocaine, monkey dust, cannabis and weapons were seized after Police patrolled the streets and night-time venues of Stoke-on-Trent with a sniffer dog.  The passive search dog, who is trained to operate in the night-time economy, worked as part of a wider neighbourhood policing team on Saturday 11^th  May.
‘PD Lucky’, from the West Midlands Police Dog Unit, works on the lead with handler, PC Mark Collier, and sits next to people when she detects drugs.

It was this indication that led Officers to stop-and-search 18 people under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act in Hanley and Burslem. Three people were given community resolutions after being found with suspected illegal drugs.

14 licensed premises were visited where searches were carried out, drug swipes were taken and drugs were confiscated.

Sergeant Chris Gifford, from Stoke North local policing team (LPT), said: “This was another successful operation with PD Lucky being crucial in detecting those in possession of illegal drugs in our city.