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Teenager charged with series of sex attacks on women on footpaths in Manchester and Cheshire

Joshua Etchells, 19, faces 12 counts of sexual assault by touching

Sunday 14 March 2021 13:57 EDT

Three attacks took place on the Bridgewater Canal towpath in Sale, Greater Manchester (Google)

Police investigating a series of sex attacks on women walking on footpaths in Manchester and Cheshire have charged a 19-year-old man.

Joshua Etchells is accused of 12 counts of sexual assault by touching in relation to the incidents between 1 and 7 March.

In each case a man on a bicycle approached the victim from behind before touching them inappropriately as he rode past.

Mr Etchells, of Lowton Road, Sale, is in custody and will appear before Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Monday 15 March.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had set up a dedicated operation, codenamed “Carbon”, to investigate similar reports of sexual assaults centred on canal and river towpaths.

Three took place on the Bridgewater Canal in Sale, at 6pm on 2 March, at 6.20pm on 3 March and 9.20am on 6 March.

They were followed by three attacks on 6 March, including at 4.50pm on Bridgwater Way, Old Trafford, at 6.20pm on Little Ees Lane in Sale, and at 6.45pm on a towpath near the River Mersey.

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

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1/36Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A well-wisher places flowers at a bandstand

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman cries at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People mourn at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People mourn at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A group of women hug as they stand in front of tributes for Sarah Everard

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A photograph of Sarah Everard is left with tributes to her at the bandstand on Clapham Common

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman reacts at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Stones with signatures on them lie at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Two women embrace as they stand before tributes for Sarah Everard

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People leave floral tributes

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather to lay flowers and pay their respects

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A message is seen among the flowers on Clapham Common

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People mourn at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman leaves a floral tribute

AP

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman reacts at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Members of the public surround tributes for Sarah Everard at the bandstand on Clapham Common

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Well-wishers make their way towards a band-stand

AFP via Getty Images

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Women gather at the band stand

PA

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at the band stand

PA

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman reacts as she looks at tributes

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather to lay flowers and pay their respects

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at the band stand

PA

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather at the band stand

AP

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman holds a sign at a memorial site

Reuters

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People gather

AP

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

People in the crowd turn on their phone torches

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman holds up a placard

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Well-wishers shout slogans as they gather

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

A woman is arrested

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Police officers form a cordon

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Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Tributes paid to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common vigil

Police detain a woman

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A seventh attack took place at 10.42am on 7 March on Bridgewater Canal, Timperley.

The GMP also worked with Cheshire Police, which received reports of three incidents involving a cyclist on the Trans Pennine Trail in Lymm between 6 and 7 March.

Police said that while nobody was injured, the incidents left the women “understandably distressed”.

A 28-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault has been released with no further action.