Alleged DNA match to bite mark saliva sees man charged over decade-old Newcastle rape

A “hit” from a DNA database has prompted a major breakthrough in the investigation into an unsolved attack on a young woman in a Newcastle park more than 10 years ago.

​

A man on remand for sex offences has been charged with a decade-old unsolved night-time park rape after investigators allegedly matched his DNA profile to saliva taken from a bite mark on the victim’s neck.

And senior police say the arrest is the latest example of Australia’s ever-growing DNA databases – along with meticulous evidence gathering at the time of alleged offences – combining to reignite cold cases.

Newcastle City detectives travelled to Silverwater Correctional Complex on Tuesday to charge the now 34-year-old man with the aggravated sexual assault of a young woman in Newcastle’s Civic Park in 2012.

The woman told police she was attacked after leaving Fannys nightclub, with the rapist biting her on the neck during the violent assault.

Newcastle's Civic Park, where a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in May 2012. A DNA swab from a bite mark on her neck has led to the arrest of a man. Picture: Google Maps.

A swab of her neck was taken at the time and remained in evidence until a scan of the state’s DNA database allegedly revealed a match earlier this year.

The database “hit” prompted a reinvestigation into the alleged sexual assault before detectives travelled to Sydney to lay the charge.

The man, who was due to face Newcastle Local Court again next week on unrelated sex offences, will also face the fresh charge of aggravated sexual assault on October 19.

Newcastle City crime manager Detective Inspector Steve Benson said the nation’s DNA databases continued to assist in all types of cases.

“This is another example of meticulous work done more than a decade ago in gathering evidence culminating in a charge being laid,” Detective Inspector Benson said.

“We continue to see arrests arising from the DNA database involving everything from break and enters to more serious offences.’’