Two people have been arrested in connection with two separate allegations of rape, including a “racially aggravated” attack on a Sikh woman.
West Midlands Police said officers arrested a man aged 49 and a 65-year-old woman on Friday morning as part of an investigation into a rape in Halesowen, which occurred on Thursday night.
The force said in a statement: “We were called at around 7pm after a woman in her 30s reported she had been attacked in Hurst Green Park.
“This incident is not being treated as racially aggravated.
“A 49-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman from Sandwell were arrested this morning on suspicion of rape.
“A cordon is in place in the park while we carry out enquiries.
“The man and woman have this afternoon subsequently been arrested in connection with a rape on Tame Road, Oldbury on Tuesday 9 September. They remain in custody for questioning.”
The attack on a Sikh woman in an area of grassland led to protests and vigils involving members of the local community.
Commenting on news of the arrests in connection with the offence in Oldbury, Inderjit Kaur, of the Sikh Federation UK, said: “We welcome the arrests today in connection with the racially aggravated rape of a young Sikh woman.
“Previously, a man in his 30s was arrested by the police on September 14 and a couple of days later released on bail without charge pending further enquiries.
“We hope this time the police have sufficient evidence to charge those responsible for these disgusting attacks and rapes of two young women.”
In a statement issued to the PA news agency through the Sikh Federation UK earlier this month, the family of the Sikh woman described her ordeal as horrific and thanked community organisations for their support.
The Sikh community has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to charges and convictions in connection with the Oldbury attack, while the Crimestoppers charity has put up a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Crimestoppers said the victim, a woman in her 20s, was attacked shortly before 8.30am on September 9.
In a statement issued three days after the earlier offence, police said they were treating the attack as racially aggravated and appealed for information about two white men seen in the area.
