Police appeal for info on historic Illawarra sexual assaults
Police believe one man may be responsible for several alleged sexual assaults and acts of indecency in the Wollongong area in 2012 and 2014.
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Police are re-appealing for information after several “horrific” and “vicious” sexual assaults and acts of indecency in the Wollongong area between 2012 and 2014.
During the two year period, several young women were allegedly raped or indecently assaulted in unprovoked attacks around Wollongong and Fairy Meadow.
On Wednesday, police announced they were looking back into the unsolved cases, which are all believed to have been committed by one man.
Wollongong Police District Crime Manager Detective Chief Inspector Brad Ainsworth said police were following fresh lines of inquiry, in an effort to bring justice for the alleged victims.
“What’s sparked the review is one of the victims called up and said ‘this happened some seven years ago’, and asked if we ever found the guy,” he said.
The first alleged offence by the unknown man 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, the man allegedly committed an indecent act, before the woman was able to break free.
Just under a month later, police say the man 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 the man acted indecently towards the women on separate occasions, before fleeing on a bicycle.
In the early hours of January 1, 2014, a young woman was raped at Fairy Meadow Beach, which at the time, sent waves of fear through the community.
Between 2.30am and 3am on the 22-year-old woman was walking along Fairy Meadow Beach when she was allegedly grabbed from behind and dragged into nearby bushland by an unknown male.
The man allegedly sexually assaulted the woman before she was able to call out to a group of people nearby, causing the man to flee the scene.
Detective Inspector Ainsworth said this case was particularly horrific.
“She was viciously sexually assaulted and after some 30 to 40 minutes she was able to break free and report the incident to police,” he said.
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While the alleged offender did not have a push bike during this incident, Detective Inspector Ainsworth said there were some similarities to the prior assaults in 2012.
“[The similarities] are in relation to the [man’s] description and we feel that there could be some link,” he said.
In each incident, the man was described as between 20-35 years of age with a tanned complexion, approximately 170cm tall, with a skinny build and brown scruffy hair.
The victims involved in the March 2012 offences also reported the man was wearing a fluoro-coloured high visibility T-shirt.
On Wednesday, Detective Inspector Ainsworth said unfortunately, police believed more women may have been assaulted by the man during the two year period.
“We believe this man may have committed similar offences elsewhere and we are appealing for any other potential victims to get in touch with police,” he said.
“We understand people may feel shy, embarrassed or scared in these situations, and we want these people to know that police officers are here to offer their full support.”
While police are searching for the culprit, they did not believe he had offended again since the 2014 incident.
“There’s not a sexual predator out there committing acts,” he said. “Between 2012 and 2014 and up to 2019 now there’s been nothing similar.”
At this stage police are unsure whether the man still resides in the Illawarra, and are looking into whether there were similar incidents reported across the state.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Wollongong Detectives on (02) 4226 7899.