Chiswick: Escaped violent sex offender wanted after 'boy attacked and woman has hair sprayed red'

Wanted: Vitalij Kovaliov is said to be violent
Met Police
Mark Chandler1 July 2016
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Police are hunting a violent sex offender over a spate of alleged attacks, including an assault on an eight-year-old boy and a woman who had her hair sprayed red.

Vitalij Kovaliov, 35, escaped from mental health unit staff while on escorted leave in Kings Street last Friday afternoon and headed off towards Chiswick.

Police want to trace him over a series of incidents in the Chiswick area this week, including an alleged assault on an eight-year-old boy in Anstice Close on Wednesday at 6am.

The boy, whose mother opened the door after mistaking the man for a delivery driver, received minor cuts to his face and was taken to hospital.

In a bizarre attack on Tuesday at 12.20am in British Grove, a woman, 25, had her hair spray-painted red while waiting for a delivery, police say.

Just 20 minutes later, a man was seen exposing himself in the middle of Cranbrook Road and, at 1pm, there was a report a 19-year-old man had been punched in the face.

Vitalij Kovaliov: He is wanted over a spate of attacks
Met Police

Half an hour afterwards, a 32-year-old man was punched in the back in Chiswick High Road, police say.

At 2pm, a 27-year-old black woman had racial abuse hurled at her and a bottle thrown in her face at Essex Place, police reported. Later that day, a van had graffiti sprayed on it in Chiswick High Road.

Police also want to trace Kovaliov after a man walking out of Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre at 7.40pm on June 29 had a box of fruit knocked out of his hands before the produce was hurled at him.

Police warn Kovaliov is a registered sex offender and known to be violent.

He is described as white, between 5ft 11in and 6ft 1in tall and of medium build.

Anyone who sees him should call police on 999.

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