Rape Reported At Latitude

A 24-year-old arrested on suspicion of raping a 20-year-old woman at Latitude Festival in England July 17 has been released on bail.

The man, who is said to have come from Ipswich, was released at Lowestoft police station the following day. He has been granted bail until Sept. 14.

Police were called to the Henham Park site near Southwold early in the morning and cordoned off part of the camping area.

It’s the second Latitude in succession that’s included allegations of sexual assault. Last year police began patrolling the site to ease the crowd’s fears after two girls were reportedly raped in separate incidents.

It wasn’t possible to get comment from festival promoter Festival Republic at press time.

“If the allegations are true, it’s horrible. It’s zero reflection on Latitude Festival and the festivalgoer,” festival chief Melvin Benn told East Anglian Daily Times. “I am very happy with security. I am happy with town pastors that have come to the area and been talking to festivalgoers. We have provided a great, secure festival.”

Benn said he understood the two people involved knew each other and had worked together. He also said it was “completely incidental” and had nothing to do with Latitude as a festival.

The four-day gathering July 14 -17 was otherwise a huge success, selling out its 35,000 capacity with a bill that included The National, Suede, Paolo Nutini, Paloma Faith, My Morning Jacket, Hurts, KT Tunstall, and The Cribs.