Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service have opened a Brixton churchyard rape investigation after a woman in her 40s reported that she had been raped in St Matthew’s Churchyard on Brixton Hill in the early hours of Thursday morning.
According to South London News, the alleged attack took place at around 12:55am on Thursday, 17 September, in the churchyard of the historic church on Brixton Hill in south London. Officers established a crime scene at the rear of the church, and a section of the grounds remained taped off for most of Thursday while forensic teams and investigators examined the area for evidence.
No arrests have been made. The Met has appealed to the public for anyone who was in the vicinity of Brixton Hill or St Matthew’s Churchyard around midnight or in the early hours of Thursday — or who may have captured relevant footage — to come forward.
What the Met has said about the Brixton churchyard rape investigation
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service confirmed the investigation was under way and that no suspect had yet been taken into custody. In a statement reported by South London News via the Daily Express, the spokesperson said:
“Police are investigating after a woman in her 40s reported that she had been raped in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Brixton Hill, Brixton at around 00:55 am on Thursday, September 17. A number of enquiries are ongoing and the victim/survivor is being supported by specialist officers. No arrests have been made at this stage.”
The Met’s confirmation came after emergency services were dispatched to the scene following the initial report. South London News reported that the account of the early-hours incident was first carried by Louis Dargavel Corbett of MyLondon.
Crime scene at the rear of the church
Officers set up a crime scene precinct at the rear of St Matthew’s Church following the initial report on Thursday morning. The taped-off section of the churchyard was in place for the majority of the day as investigators, including forensic teams, examined the area for evidence.
St Matthew’s Churchyard sits at a prominent junction along Brixton Hill, serving both as a public green space and as a pedestrian route close to central Brixton. The church is a well-known local landmark, and the appearance of a police cordon there is likely to heighten safety concerns among residents, particularly women and girls travelling through the area late at night.
Police appeal for witnesses
The Met has issued a direct appeal for information that could assist the inquiry. Anyone who was in the vicinity of Brixton Hill or St Matthew’s Churchyard around midnight or in the early hours of Thursday morning, or who may have recorded relevant CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage, is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD 265/17SEP.
Information can also be passed anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The inquiry is at an early stage. LondonStreets.uk will update this story as further verified details are released.
Reporting based on South London News.
