One man was responsible for two sex attacks perpetrated in Edinburgh more than five years ago, police have revealed.
Advances in the investigation have uncovered a full DNA profile for the person responsible, explained detectives.
The first attack took place on August 25, 2015 when a 21-year-old woman was grabbed from behind and sexually assaulted on Craiglockhart Quadrant.
She had gotten off a bus on Colinton Road at around 10.30pm, shortly before the attack.
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Then just after midnight on August 27, 2015 a 19-year-old woman - who had gotten off a bus on Lanark Road West - was approached by a man in the Newmills Road area who claimed he had a knife.
He then led her to a nearby field where she was raped.
However, according to detectives, the man responsible was not on either bus.
Detective Inspector Jon Pleasance, of Edinburgh Police Division, said: “We believe we’re looking for the person you’d least suspect – someone whose community wouldn’t think is responsible for such horrific offences.
“We’re asking everyone: please think back to the summer of 2015.”
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Edinburgh was hosting the renowned Fringe Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s theme was East Meets West, which marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
He continued: “Was there someone in your life – a friend, family member or colleague – acting different? Was their behaviour around this time at all unusual for them?
“Don’t dismiss your concerns, no matter how small they seem.
“We have a full DNA profile of the person responsible and so can quickly and completely rule people out. Help us find who did this.”
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