Sydney: Four males charged over six-hour sex attack on 17-year-old girl
A horrific six-hour sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl was filmed and shared among her alleged attackers, police say.
Four males have been charged over the sickening incident in Sydney last year.
Two were arrested days after the December 15 attack — the youngest just 14 years old — and two were taken into custody and charged on Tuesday after an investigation by the sex crimes squad.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“It beggars belief that, in this day and age, men would think to act this way towards a girl over a six-hour period ... to act together and encourage each other and degrade the victim in the way that they did,” Sex Crimes Squad Commander Superintendent Jayne Doherty told reporters on Wednesday.
“Their age is concerning, but this shouldn’t be accepted at any age.”
Police allege the incident was partially captured on video and shared among the teens.
“They had no right to act like this towards a woman,” Supt. Doherty said.
Sickening ordeal
Police say the traumatic ordeal began after a 16-year-old boy, unknown to the girl, approached her at a Liverpool shopping centre about 5.30pm on December 15, following her to her car.
She reluctantly let him inside before he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
After, he asked her to drive him to Wheat Park in Sadleir. Police say she reluctantly agreed on condition he would get out of the car when they arrived.
“At the park, two other males got into the car, who also allegedly sexually assaulted the girl,” a police statement read.
“A fourth male then arrived in another vehicle, and the sexual assault continued as the girl was driven around.”
“(The group allegedly) took control of the vehicle and drove her in her own car around the suburbs of Sadleir and Miller,” Supt. Doherty said.
“They (allegedly) drove rather erratically throughout the time and continued to degrade and assault this victim as they were driving around.”
Supt. Doherty said at times there was allegedly more than one person offending against the girl.
The accused attackers eventually left the girl around 11.30pm and she was able to call her friend. The friend took her to Liverpool Police Station.
The State Crime Command’s sex crimes squad established Strike Force Dungannon to investigate.
Charges laid
Days after the attack, police arrested two teenage boys.
The 16-year-old male was taken into custody after a raid on a home in Condell Park.
He was taken to Bankstown Police Station where he was charged on December 20 with 24 offences including nine counts of sexual intercourse without consent, eight counts of aggravated sex assault-offender in company with other person/s, two counts of aggravated sexual assault in company and inflict actual bodily harm, and five counts of sexually touch another person without consent.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested at a home in Miller.
He was taken to Liverpool Police Station, where he was charged with 10 offences including seven counts of aggravated sex assault - offender in company with other person/s, aggravated sexual assault in company and inflict actual bodily harm, aggravated sexually touch another person, and sexually touch another person without consent.
Both were refused bail and appeared at a children’s court on December 21.
On Tuesday, police executed simultaneous raids, arresting an 18-year-old at a property in Sadleir and a 19-year-old in Heckenberg.
The 18-year-old has been charged with nine counts of aggravated sex assault - offender in company with other person/s.
He was refused bail to appear in a children’s court on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old man was charged with five counts of aggravated sex assault - offender in company with other person/s.
He was refused bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday.
Victim’s strength praised
Det Supt Doherty hailed “the strength of the victim”.
“She was able to give a very detailed statement over a number of days, which gave us a number of opportunities to gather evidence,” she said.
“She’s very distraught (now) ... fortunately, she’s supported by family, who are very strong and supportive of her.”
The gruesome incident has recalled one of Sydney’s most notorious gang rapes more than two decades ago when Bilal Skaf, then 18, and a gang of males, many in their teens, were found responsible for six rapes in 2000.
They lured teenage girls, some as young as 14, away from public places with the promise of smoking cannabis.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley said the Skaf case came to mind when she learned about the latest incident.
“The work of the police has been absolutely enormous,” she told reporters.
“I want to congratulate (the sex crimes unit) on the speed and professionalism and the wraparound services they’ve provided to that young woman.”
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
— with AAP
