Kent Police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist with their enquiries after a woman was followed along Ratcliffe Highway in Hoo.
Correction — 10 July 2026: An earlier version of this article, published on 9 July, incorrectly reported that a school-age girl had been accosted in Hoo and framed the incident as a child-safeguarding matter. Kent Police’s appeal — the source for this story — states that a woman was followed and allegedly photographed and filmed. The article has been rewritten accordingly, and the error is recorded on our Corrections page.
What Happened in Hoo
Kent Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was followed by a man in Hoo, on the Hoo Peninsula in Medway.
It is alleged that at around 10.55am on Sunday 5 July 2026 the woman was followed along Ratcliffe Highway, in the direction of Bells Lane. She noticed a man acting suspiciously, and he is alleged to have been taking pictures and filming her.
The Released Image
Investigators have now released an image of a man who they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries.
The man has not been identified, and no arrest has been announced. Kent Police describe the incident as an “accosting” — the force’s categorisation for an unwanted approach — and the appeal remains live on the Kent Police website.
How to Help
Anyone with information, or who recognises the man in the image, is asked to contact Kent Police on 01634 792209, quoting reference 46/109713/26.
Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Residents in the area around Ratcliffe Highway and Bells Lane who had dashcams, doorbell cameras or CCTV recording on the morning of Sunday 5 July are also encouraged to check their footage — and not to assume someone else has already called it in.
The Setting: Hoo Village
Hoo — sometimes called Hoo St Werburgh — sits on the Hoo Peninsula in North Kent, hemmed in by the River Medway and the Thames Estuary. Semi-rural, but not remote: Ratcliffe Highway and Bells Lane are everyday walking and driving routes for the village. It’s also the kind of place where people know their neighbours’ cars — which is exactly why appeals like this one can turn on a single doorbell clip or a half-remembered sighting.
Key Takeaways
- A woman was allegedly followed, photographed and filmed by a man along Ratcliffe Highway in Hoo at around 10.55am on Sunday 5 July
- Kent Police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist with their enquiries; he has not been identified
- Witnesses and anyone with relevant footage should call Kent Police on 01634 792209 quoting reference 46/109713/26, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
What This Means for Kent Residents
Police appeals of this kind rely on local eyes: anyone who was in the Ratcliffe Highway or Bells Lane area on the morning of Sunday 5 July — on foot, driving, or with a camera covering the street — may hold the detail that moves the investigation on. Anyone who experiences or witnesses behaviour like that described in this appeal is encouraged to report it to Kent Police at the time, via 999 in an emergency or 101 otherwise.