Man charged following sexual assault and exposure near Kildwick, Cross Hills

UPDATE 13 April 2024

A man has been charged and is due to appear in court on Saturday 13 April 2024, following the sexual assault and indecent exposure against a woman jogger near Kildwick in the Cross Hills area.

The incident happened on 9 April and the 43-year-old man from Bradford was arrested on 10 April. He was taken into police custody where he was subsequently charged with:

• Sexual assault
• Exposure
• Possessing an offensive weapon in a private place
• Possessing a knife in a public place

He was remanded in custody to appear at York Magistrates’ Court on 13 April.

UPDATE 1.10pm 13 April

The defendant appeared at York Magistrates' Court today where he was remanded in custody to appear at York Crown Court on 15 May 2024. 

9 April 2024

Significant police resources are in the area of Kildwick, near Cross Hills, after reports of an incident a short time ago.

At about 7.45am today, we received a report that a man had exposed himself and sexually assaulted a female jogger.

The suspect, who ran off under the footbridge into Kildwick, is described as aged 20-30, scruffy looking, with dark hair and a beard. He was wearing grey jogging bottoms and a dark green jacket.

We understand this is an extremely concerning incident. Extra patrols are in the area now to provide reassurance and gather evidence. We urge anyone who saw anything, has relevant CCTV footage, or can assist the investigation in any way, to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference NYP-09042024-0075.

Update 5pm: A man in his 30s has this afternoon been arrested in connection with this incident. He remains in custody at this time. Enquiries are ongoing, and we are extremely grateful to members of the public who contacted us with information. 

Update: The man in his 30s who was arrested on 9 April has been released without charge and no further action taken against him.