Published: Wednesday, 24th June, 2009 4:43pm

Evil rapist attacks again

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A RAPIST who assaulted a young woman has been linked to TWO other attacks.

Police are now hunting the beast who raped a 33-year-old woman on a cycle track in Elderslie and possibly two females in Paisley.

The suspect pounced on the young woman in broad daylight when she asked for directions on a cycle path behind Newton Terrace.

He dragged her into bushes and indecently assaulted her, before redressing her and making off.

The terrified victim managed to make her way to the nearby Shell garage to make an emergency call for help.

She was wearing a white t-shirt and charcoal grey trousers and was carrying a black backpack with blue piping.

This week, cops have confirmed that the same man has struck before and there is a strong possibility of him being responsible for a third attack.

Detective Chief Inspector John Weir who is leading the case said: 'I urge Gazette readers to come forward with any information that could help us track down this man.

'There is a definite link between the same person who attacked a woman in Paisley town centre earlier this month.

'He needs to be stopped before any further attacks take place.

'Someone must know who this man is and I want to stress to readers not to be frightened to report someone.

'We can quickly eliminate suspects but we need people to help us in the first place.'

It is thought that forensic evidence has linked the rape to an attack on a young girl earlier this month.

A 16-year-old girl was indecently assaulted at the River Cart walkway in Paisley in the early hours of Friday April 3.

The terrified victim was grabbed and pulled into bushes before being assaulted.

The suspect in both cases has been described as aged between 25 and 30, five foot eight inches tall, with collar-length, greasy, sandy-coloured hair in a centre parting.

He has a thin build and was wearing a red and brown long-sleeved top with black trousers and black shoes, and carrying a black shoulder bag at the time of the Elderslie attack but may have changed his appearance since.

Cops are not ruling out that the pervert may be linked to another assault on the same night as the cycle path attack.

An 18-year-old had a lucky escape as she walked home at around 1.20am on Tuesday June 16.

She had been socialising with friends when she made her way home through the Lagoon Leisure Centre"s car park alone.

As she made her way down the lane that leads from the car park into Cochrane Street, she was approached by a man who grabbed her round the mouth and throat.

She put up a brave struggle and fortunately her friends had not walked far and heard her screams for help.

DCI Weir added: 'I cannot say at this time whether we are linking this particular incident but I would not rule it out.

'I would like to reassure the public, especially women, that we have upped police visibility in the area and are doing all we can to catch this man.

'Please don"t make yourself vulnerable when walking at night and take a friend with you if possible.'

Officers are studying CCTV of the surrounding area in Elderslie and on all local public transport in an attempt to track down the evil pervert before any more innocent women are attacked.

If you know anything that can help the police with their enquiries, please phone Paisley CID on 0141 532 5900 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity is guaranteed.