THE man wanted in a connection with a brutal rape last week has been urged to give himself up.

Dean Goodwin has been on the run since last Friday and police have launched a huge manhunt for him in Poole and Bournemouth.

The hunt is entering its fourth day today, with every officer in Dorset Police briefed in the search and 40 detectives working on the case.

Goodwin, 32, is a convicted sex offender and served 12 years for sex offences before being released last year.

Follow our live updates on the search

Detective Superintendent Mark Cooper, the head of Dorset’s Major Crime Team said: “Dean, I urge you to hand yourself in, for your own safety and the sake of your family. They are very worried about you.”

The police are concentrating their search in the local areas where Goodwin is from and still has family.

Around 40 dedicated detectives are involved as well as an unspecified number of uniformed officers, some from the firearms unit.

Detective Supt Cooper added: “Every single police officer in the force has been briefed.

“I have full resources of the organisation at my disposal.

“My message to the public is to be cautious, not to approach him but to dial 999 or the two numbers that have been publicised through the Daily Echo.”

He said Goodwin was wanted as a suspect in a “very violent offence”.

And he urged Goodwin to hand himself into the nearest police station immediately.

Colleague DI Marcus Hester said the assault on the young woman had been “particularly nasty”.

“We very quickly identified who we believe the offender for that assault is and that is Dean Goodwin.

“We are concentrating on the Dorset conurbation – Poole and Bournemouth and suburbs of those two towns.”

He said Goodwin was local and had a number of associates and family in the Poole and Bournemouth areas.

“We need Mr Goodwin in |custody as soon as is possible, both for his safety and benefit, and for the safety and benefit of the public.

“There is every reason to suspect that he may well offend again, just for him to survive, because we do not believe he has very much money with him.

“He was previously in prison for a serious sexual assault, an incident that occurred back in 2000.

“The public should be aware of him – we need them to assist us in locating him.

“They certainly should not approach him.

“They should call the police straight away but continue with their daily business.

“He is considered to be of concern. The fact this serious offence has taken place shows that he can be dangerous.

“It’s very urgent we locate him as soon as we possibly can.”

Anyone with information about Dean Goodwin should either call 999 or 0800 056 0154 or 0207 1580011.