Detectives appeal for information after woman attack in Peckham

Detectives are appealing to south-London residents to help identify the person responsible for an unprovoked attack in Peckham which left a woman with serious facial injuries.

The suspect is described as a 5ft 8in Black man with a slim build – believed to be in his 30s or 40s. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a green puffer jacket with white text on the back, just below the hood.

The victim – a woman in her 20s who has asked to remain anonymous - was punched in Anstey Road on Monday, 3 November 2025 after the man asked her for a cigarette, which she did not have. It is possible the suspect had followed her as she walked from Peckham Rye Station.

She was attacked with such force that she was knocked to the floor.

The incident was reported immediately by a passer-by and officers arrived within minutes. She received treatment at the scene and was taken to the hospital by police where her injures were confirmed to be a fractured eye, cheekbone, nose, and finger. She also had severe concussion.

Since November, detectives have carried out numerous door-to-door enquiries to speak with witnesses and have gathered CCTV footage of the incident from various locations. They also walked the route that the victim took to assist with CCTV opportunities to identify the suspect.

Detective Sergeant James Hughes, leading the investigation, said: “We understand that this unprovoked and violent attack will cause concern for the community. I’d like to reassure the capital that the Met is relentless in its pursuit to prosecute perpetrators and continuously strive to ensure women and girls feel safe when going about their daily lives.

“We continue to work hard to identify the person responsible and are asking the public to get in touch with us as a matter of urgency if they have any relevant information. No matter how small you think your information is, it may be the missing piece to our investigation.”

Those who wish to speak to the Met can do so via 101, quoting 6670/3NOV25. Anyone who requires anonymity can go through independent charity, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Met is using several tactics including our innovative V100 programme to improve the response to VAWG offences. We have committed to increasing the number of officers and staff in the teams that investigate DA, rape, serious sexual offences and child abuse.

We continue to strive to improve the support for victims, new services like My Met Service and the enhanced Victim Focus Desk, ensuring victims receive regular updates; and rolling out new training to frontline officers covering victim care and trauma, embedding empathy and better communication in every case.