Man charged over alleged ‘horrific’ abduction, rape of teenager in Melbourne in 1988, police reveal
A man has been charged over an alleged “horrific” historic abduction and rape of a teenage woman after police reopened their investigation into the decades-old incident.
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A man has been charged over an alleged “horrific” historic rape of teenager who was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted in Melbourne more than three decades ago.
Victorian Police arrested the 57-year-old Queenslander this week following a reopened investigation into the alleged incident in St Kilda in 1988.
The man arrived in Melbourne on Saturday where he was formally charged with two counts of aggravated rape, two counts of rape, abduction by force, kidnapping and false imprisonment.
Police will allege the woman, then 19, was grabbed while walking home from a night out along Carlisle St in St Kilda on January 23, 1988.
She was allegedly driven to Elwood Beach and sexually assaulted.
Despite an investigation at the time, no charges were laid.
The case was reopened in 2021 after “more information came to light”, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
Sexual Crime Squad Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Brett Robinson said police had not given up on the hope of bringing justice for the alleged “horrific” crime.
“To be a 19-year-old woman, happily walking home after a fun night out, who suddenly had her world changed instantly in this way, is unimaginable,” he said.
“Shocking crimes like this, leave a permanent imprint … today we hope we have delivered some closure and relief.”
Police allege the man would have been in his 20s at the time of the alleged attack.
He was remanded into custody and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in January next year.
Originally published as Man charged over alleged ‘horrific’ abduction, rape of teenager in Melbourne in 1988, police reveal
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