Photo: vicpolicenews

A woman in her late teens wearing a black jacket was walking along Flinders Street towards Swanston Street to catch a tram shortly after 1.45am on Saturday, 9 June.

As she walked past a bar situated below a hostel between Elizabeth Street and Degraves Street, a man exited the building and started to walk alongside her.

He then placed his arm around her shoulders and neck and engaged her in a short conversation as they continued to walk towards Swanston Street.

As the pair approached the Metro Tunnel works, the man pulled the woman to him and kissed her.

She pushed him away and continued to walk towards Swanston Street, however the man kept his arm around her shoulders and neck.

Once they passed the works, the man dragged the victim into an alleyway behind high metal gates, locked the gates, then sexually assaulted her.

The woman managed to scream and was able to run away from the man and out the gates on to Flinders Street.

Police believe a number of people saw her running from the scene along Swanston Street to Flinders Lane as the area was still quite busy.

At Flinders Lane, three males approached the woman to assist as she was visibly distressed.

They were able to help her contact a friend and arrange transport home.

Detectives understand the woman did not tell the males she had been sexually assaulted.

The incident was subsequently reported to police in July and the victim remains extremely traumatised by the event.

Since that time, police have conducted an extensive canvas of CCTV in the Melbourne CBD area in an attempt to locate any vision that may assist with the investigation.

Detectives are today releasing CCTV and images of the three men who assisted the victim in the hope they can provide police with information to assist the investigation.

These men are not linked to the offender in any way and were not involved in the incident.

Police would also like to speak to anyone in the area on the night who saw the victim leave the alleyway on Flinders Street after the incident, or heard a woman yell out from inside the alleyway.

Anyone who captured any dashcam or social media footage or images in the vicinity of the incident on the 9 June, particularly near the bar the man came out of on Flinders Street, are also encouraged to contact police.

Police are also continuing to search for the man involved in the incident.

He is described as being aged in his early 20s, around 178cm tall with a lean build, dark brown skin and short hair.

At the time of the incident he was wearing a dark coloured jacket and long pants.

Anyone who recognises the witnesses or has any information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.