DETECTIVES investigating the rape of a girl in the water off Bournemouth beach have released a name linked to a male they would like to speak with.

As part of its ongoing enquiries into the sexual assault, Dorset Police took part in a televised appeal on BBC One's Crimewatch Live.

The victim – a 15-year-old girl – was with her friends playing with a ball when it landed in front of a teenage boy at around 4pm on Sunday, July 18, in the sea near to the Oceanarium.

The boy eventually threw the ball back to one of the group and then began talking to the victim, before pulling her out deeper into the sea where it is reported that he raped her.

The offender told the victim that he was 17 years old, he was from Birmingham and his name was 'Dabby'. He is described as possibly of Asian descent and with tanned skin, around five feet six inches tall and of a thin but muscular build with short dark hair that was pushed back and looked freshly trimmed. He was wearing black or grey swimming shorts.

The Crimewatch Live programme featured a reconstruction of events, including a statement from the victim read by an actress.

Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, who is the lead detective in the case and appeared on the show on Monday, September 6, said: "First and foremost I would like to thank the victim for her support of the televised appeal and the courage she has shown in assisting our investigation as we continue to do all we can to identify the offender in this case.

“I would also like to thank BBC Crimewatch Live for helping us to spread the message to a national audience as we strongly believe the offender is not local to the Bournemouth area and is believed to have links to Birmingham and the West Midlands.

“I am continuing to appeal for anyone with information that might assist our enquiries to please come forward and make contact with us. Even if it is just a seemingly small bit of information, it might assist us with piecing together the evidence in this case and tracking down the culprit.

“I would repeat our previous plea for anyone who exchanged Snapchat messages with a number of young Asian men who were reported to be approaching female beachgoers on the date of the incident to come forward. We are also again issuing an e-fit image of the suspect that has been produced and would urge anyone who recognises him to please contact us.

“We do have forensic evidence that means we will be able to eliminate anyone who was not involved from our enquiries.”

As well as taking part in the BBC Crimewatch Live appeal, detectives have been working with experts from the National Crime Agency as they explore a number of lines of enquiry.

Detectives are urging anyone with information, images or footage relevant to the investigation to submit it via the UK Police Major Incident Public Portal at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/55HQ21M71-PO1

Anyone with information can also contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55210115587. Alternatively, to stay anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call Freephone 0800 555 111.