Illawarra man charged over sex attacks in 2012 and 2014
An Illawarra man has today been charged over a series of alleged sexual assaults and acts of indecency in 2012 and 2014, just one week after Wollongong detectives relaunched an investigation into the incidents.
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An Illawarra man has been arrested and charged over a spate of alleged sex attacks across the region between 2012 and 2014.
Kane Kelly, 29, was arrested from a West Wollongong home on Wednesday morning, after police relaunched an investigation into the unsolved attacks last week.
Police will allege Kelly was responsible for indecent attacks on several women in the space of two weeks in 2012, as well as the violent alleged rape of a 22-year-old woman on a Fairy Meadow beach on New Year’s Day in 2014.
Wollongong Police District crime manager Detective Inspector Brad Ainsworth said the 29-year-old had been a person of interest in the initial investigation several years ago and that new evidence had come to light during the fresh investigation.
“He was a suspect to start with back in 2012 and 2014, since then we’ve reviewed, got more statements from witnesses and victims and that culminated in today’s arrest,” he said.
“[The new evidence] will form a strong part of our prosecution case.”
After his arrest, Kelly’s mother Margaret said she was “devastated” and that her son was a “happy go-lucky guy” who wasn’t capable of committing the alleged crimes.
“It’s not possible,” she said. “He’s a good guy, he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Police charged Kelly with 10 offences late on Wednesday afternoon, including four counts of sexual assault, four counts of commit acts of indecency and assault with act of indecency.
In court police will allege Kelly’s first offence occurred on February 5, 2012 on Ellen Street, just outside the Wollongong CBD.
A then 22-year-old woman was walking along the street about 10pm, when a man pushing a bike snuck up behind her and grabbed her.
After grabbing her, it will be alleged Kelly then committed an indecent act, before the woman was able to break free.
Just under a month later, police allege Kelly attacked three women in a 45 minute window, this time on Northfields Ave.
Between 5.45pm and 6.30pm on March 1, it’s alleged he acted indecently towards the women on separate occasions, before fleeing on a bicycle.
In the early hours of January 1, 2014, police will allege Kelly raped a young woman, after dragging her from Fairy Meadow beach into Puckey’s Estate bushland.
Detective Inspector Ainsworth said the arrest was a good example of strong police work by Wollongong detectives.
“It’s just another reassurance to the public, even though these offences occurred seven years ago, serious incidents like that and fears to the community, we don’t like to have them unsolved,” he said.
“We review and investigate and this time we’ve got a good result.”
Kelly was refused bail and will face Wollongong Local Court on Thursday morning.