The North Yorkshire police are asking pharmacists and dentists to help them catch a rapist. The man concerned lost a lower right incisor during a struggle with his victim, who he attacked from behind and subsequently rendered unconscious on November 23. The tooth was recovered by the police at the site of the attack and has been subjected to DNA analysis.
In addition to having this tooth missing, expert analysis suggests that the man, who is described as white, aged between 20 and 30 years, with short, light coloured hair and 5ft 10in to 6ft in height, has serious gum disease and may have other teeth missing as well.
Pharmacists who believe they may be able to identify the man can contact DC Trevor Dove on 01423 539456. Local police can be called if the suspect is present in the
pharmacy.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's director of professional standards (Mrs Sue Sharpe) has confirmed that pharmacists' duty of confidence to patients is not absolute and that the Data Protection Acts allow confidentiality to be waived in the interests of detecting or preventing serious crime. The Society would support any pharmacist where a specific disclosure was made on these grounds, she said.