'No offence occurred': Police close Epsom rape investigation

Police have closed their investigation into reports of a rape outside a church in Epsom that led to widespread public disorder, with the force saying that "no sexual offence occurred".

Surrey Police said they received a report on Saturday 11 April that a woman had been raped near a church in the early hours after leaving Labyrinth nightclub.

There was some public anger that police had not released the ethnicity of any suspects, leading to a number of protests in the town.

A woman in her 20s sustained an accidental head injury and made a confused report, police said on Thursday.

"At the early stages of this investigation, we issued an appeal for any witnesses or information that could help us progress our enquiries and identify any potential suspects," the force said in a statement.

"There was a lack of information in our initial appeal particularly regarding potential persons of interest. This was because the descriptions given were vague and limited.

"We recognise this caused concern amongst the community. We are now confident that there was no offence, and there were no suspects."

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Police said detectives carried out an "extensive examination" of CCTV footage of the woman's movements, as well as house-to-house inquiries, interviews with witnesses, and forensic tests.

"To be clear, we take every report of sexual offending seriously, and any such report is treated with sensitivity," the statement continued.

"To do this, it is imperative that the appropriate time is allowed to complete a thorough investigation and support is given to the complainant to progress inquiries at their own pace.

"This limits what information we are able to release publicly."

"The woman involved has given us permission to share this information with you and she continues to be supported by relevant services," the force added.

Police in riot gear were pelted with eggs and beer cans as people gathered for a demonstration on a residential street in Epsom on Monday evening, leading to four arrests.

The actions were condemned as "shameful" and "mindless" by Surrey police and crime commissioner Lisa Townsend.

She added that some of those involved in the unrest had travelled from elsewhere to cause trouble, telling them to "stay away from Epsom".

It was the second protest in the town following the rape allegation.

On 15 April, footage posted on social media showed a large crowd of protesters in the town centre.

Dozens of police officers wearing helmets and holding shields appeared to have objects thrown at them.

The demonstration was promoted online by Danny Tommo, a former associate of right-wing activist Tommy Robinson.

(c) Sky News 2026: 'No offence occurred': Police close Epsom rape investigation