Woman is sexually assaulted while swimming off Bournemouth beach with her family as man, 35, is arrested

A man has been arrested after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted while swimming with her family in Bournemouth.

The victim, who is in his 40s, reported that a man touched his butt through his clothing while he was at sea.

He said the man approached his family as he swam to the left of the pier at Bournemouth Beach around 6pm on Sunday.

Dorset Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact police.

The statement said: ‘The man is described as being of Indian origin, approximately 1.80 meters tall, with black hair and a small stubble.

‘He was wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts.’

Police added that officers attended the scene and arrested a 35-year-old London man on suspicion of sexual assault. He was released on conditional bail.

Constable Matthew McGuinness, of Dorset Police, said: ‘We believe there are independent witnesses who saw the incident and I would ask them to please contact us as this may assist us with our investigation.’

The incident follows allegations that two women were sexually assaulted on Bournemouth beach on the same day in June.

The first attack was reported on Bournemouth Beach at 3.07pm on 23 June and involved a woman in her 20s; The second was a teenager and police were notified just an hour later at 4.18pm.

When the first incident occurred at sea, it was claimed that both women’s clothes were touched inappropriately.

Police teams intervened in both incidents and detained two people.

A 37-year-old man in London was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in connection with the first alleged attack.

A 24-year-old man, also from London, was arrested in connection with the second incident.

Both men were released on bail and banned from entering Dorset.

Dorset Police said the two offenses are not being treated as linked.

Mohammed Abdullah (pictured), 19, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in a beach toilet in Bournemouth.

In a separate incident in the popular seaside town, a Syrian refugee was found guilty in May of raping and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman who offered him a ride home.

Mohammed Abdullah sexually assaulted and raped the victim before taking her to a locked beach toilet.

The young woman was walking home alone on Bournemouth beach after a night out in the early hours of July 6, 2025, when she encountered a group of men, including Abdullah.

The victim’s phone had been disconnected, and while Abdullah offered him a ride home on a rented bike, he asked the group to look at maps on one of their phones so he could figure out where he was going.

After traveling a short distance, Abdullah stopped next to the portable toilets on the promenade and dragged the young woman towards them.

Anyone with information about Sunday’s incident is asked to contact Dorset Police online or by calling 101, quoting incident number 55260105198.

Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously via its website or by calling freephone 0800 555 111.