Help us before rapist strikes again, police say

Police today appealed for public help in finding a Wellington rapist "before he strikes again".

Detective Sergeant Dave Thornton, Wellington CIB, said the attack in suburban Ngaio yesterday morning was particularly nasty and the offender was not known to his victim.

"This was a stranger rape where a vulnerable young woman was attacked on the side of the road," he said. "We need to find the offender before he strikes again."

The offender was described as a Pacific Islander, aged about 25, of medium build and about 178-180cm tall, spoke with an Island accent and had short hair at the sides and longer on top.

The victim, 22, left Bunny Street, near the Wellington Railway Station, at 12.07am yesterday.

She walked to Thorndon Quay and headed north along the footpath on the right hand side of the road.

Mr Thornton said the offender approached the woman outside the Gateway Centre on Thorndon Quay, a retail complex, and spoke to her.

The woman didn't know the man but he offered to walk her home to where she lived in the northern suburbs.

"Halfway up Ngaio Gorge Road the offender dragged the woman into the bushes near the roadside and subjected her to a particularly callous sexual attack," he said.

The woman's screams throughout the attack were heard across the valley into Wadestown and resulted in several 111 calls from the public.

Police responded and found the victim in a distressed state on the roadside.

"We believe the attacker lives in or knows the northern suburbs well. We need more help from the public to find him."

Police want to hear from drivers of vehicles who were on Thorndon Quay, Old Hutt Road, Kaiwharawhara Road, and Ngaio Gorge Road, and from people who work or live in these areas.

- NZPA