Crime·26/04/2026Résumé IA The crime that never happened - but sparked a rage bait frenzy anyway
Epsom, a quiet Surrey suburb, experienced violent disorder after misinformation about an alleged gang rape spread online. Protesters demanded answers from Surrey Police about suspects they wrongly believed were asylum seekers or migrants. However, police have now concluded following a thorough investigation that the alleged crime never happened - the woman who reported the rape had sustained an accidental head injury and made a confused report. Five people aged 15-23 have been arrested for public order offences and criminal damage after protests escalated and demonstrators mistakenly entered a local hotel believing it housed migrants.