Man arrested over sex attack on new mum in North Melbourne

'Chloe' was bashed and sexually assaulted on June 30, 2013. Photo / Victoria Police

WARNING: Graphic

A man has been arrested over a brutal sex assault on a new mum after detectives offered a A$500,000 reward to help catch her attacker.

The arrest comes just days after the victim, named Chloe, took the courageous step of revealing her identity in a bid to help police catch her attacker.

It's only the second time the force has offered such a large reward for what detectives said was one of the most severe sex attacks they'd ever seen, the Herald Sun reports.

Chloe was walking home from a night out with friends in the city when she was stalked for about 1km early on June 30, 2013.

A man dressed in dark clothing approached the then 22-year-old and tried to strike up a conversation on King St, following her past the Witches in Britches theatre restaurant and into North Melbourne.

As Chloe passed Browns Lane the man grabbed her in a bear hug, dragged her down the laneway and knocked her to the ground.

She was repeatedly punched, kicked and sexually assaulted.

The new mum was on her first night out since giving birth to her son seven weeks earlier. Photo / Victoria Police

Victoria Police said in a statement that detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad had arrested a man as part of their investigation into an alleged sexual assault in North Melbourne in 2013.

"A 34-year-old Reservoir man was arrested in Reservoir just after 1pm," the force said.

"He is currently in custody, assisting police with their enquiries.

"A 37-year-old woman was also arrested at the property. She is expected to be interviewed in relation to perjury and false alibi offences."

Earlier this month a A$500,000 reward was announced for information in relation to the incident, which is alleged to have occurred on 30 June, 2013.