Drouin man Garry Cook accused of raping hitchhikers in the ’90s

A man has been charged for allegedly abducting and raping hitchhikers in Melbourne’s outer suburbs dating back to the 1990s.

A Victorian man in his 70s is accused of abducting and raping two hitchhikers in separate attacks more than two decades ago.

Garry Cook is charged with 36 offences, including rape, abduction of a child under 16, sexual penetration of a child under 16, false imprisonment, make threats to kill, stalking and firearms offences.

The 71-year-old Drouin man on Thursday appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court, where his lawyer told the court it was his first time in custody and he had flu-like symptoms.

Police allege Mr Cook assaulted at least two hitchhikers after picking them up in the Melbourne outer suburbs of Clematis and Belgrave South in September and December 1998.

According to charge sheets, the alleged victims were under the age of 16 at the time.

During the brief hearing, the court was also told that Mr Cook was “generally unwell” but did not test positive to Covid-19.

The police asked for a longer period than usual to provide the brief of evidence.

The investigation is ongoing and detectives are looking at links between these matters and a other sexual assaults and stalking cases in the Dandenong Ranges between 1996 and 2000.

Mr Cook will return to court in November.