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A man accused of raping his 82-year-old neighbour twice in the 1980s has been granted bail, after a breakthrough in the decades-old cold case led to his arrest last week.
Michael Martin, 69, was in his 20s when he allegedly raped grandmother Jessie Grace Lauder in her Newport home in Melbourne’s west, just 45 metres from where Martin grew up.
Jessie Grace Lauder (left) with a relative.
The court heard Martin later got married and moved one street over, still only about 200 metres from Lauder’s home.
Detective Senior Constable Richard Kelly revealed in court that a DNA breakthrough in the decades-old investigation led to Martin’s arrest.
Detectives from the sexual crime squad executed a search warrant at a home in Hoppers Crossing on Friday, following a fresh appeal for information about the case less than two weeks earlier. Police identified Lauder as the victim as part of their appeal.
Michael Martin leaving Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.Credit: AAP
Martin was later arrested and charged with two counts of attempted aggravated rape, aggravated burglary, aggravated indecent assault, rape, burglary and common assault.
The charges come after a nearly 44-year investigation into the two alleged sexual assaults.
Kelly told the court that on September 22, 1981, Lauder was home alone in her bedroom when Martin, armed with a knife, broke into the property through the rear door about 10pm.
Martin allegedly entered her bedroom with his face covered and wearing gloves, demanding money from Lauder before forcing the 82-year-old to walk into another room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
Jessie Grace Lauder was allegedly sexually assaulted twice in Newport in the 1980s.
“She felt sick, and so frightened, she felt she should do as he said,” Kelly told the court.
It is alleged that Martin threatened Lauder, telling her, “I’ll come back every week”, before he left the property and climbed over the back fence.
Less than two years later, on July 6, 1983, Lauder was in her lounge room getting ready for bed when it’s alleged Martin forced entry into the home through the front door about 9pm.
Police say Martin pushed Lauder into the kitchen, in what police suspect was an attempt to check that no one else was at the house, before taking her back to the lounge room and sexually assaulting her again.
A courtroom sketch depicts Michael Martin, 69, at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.Credit: AAP
Before leaving, Martin allegedly placed a newspaper over Lauder’s face and said: “Don’t tell the police and the papers like you did last time.”
Martin was aged 26 and 28 at the time of the alleged two incidents.
Lauder, who was recently widowed at the time of the attacks, had lived at the property for 55 years. She had lived by herself until the first attack, but then moved in with her children for a period before returning to her own home.
After the second alleged attack, Lauder’s family insisted that she not return to her own home. Lauder died in 1993.
Police say DNA evidence from the two alleged attacks was kept by police forensics until testing methods improved.
In 2022, the samples were tested, and a familial match allegedly identified Martin 12 months later.
Police initially announced a $500,000 reward for information into the attacks in 2016 after changes to DNA testing allowed police to rule out three suspects in the case.
This week, a grey-haired Martin sat in the court dock, wearing a grey jumper and black-rimmed glasses. He appeared disinterested as the prosecution presented its evidence, but listened intently when his bail application was discussed.
In applying for bail, Martin’s lawyer, Harry Redwood, told the court his client was a father of three who lived with his 39-year-old daughter in Hoppers Crossing and was recently diagnosed with lymphoma.
“He’s lived a blameless life in terms of criminal convictions before the court,” he said.
The court also heard Martin’s wife died in 2012 of a heart attack, and one of his sons died from a chemical explosion in 2023.
Prosecutor Olivia Sparrow argued Martin’s bail application should be rejected on the basis that he may interfere with witnesses, including Lauder’s grandson.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington said the argument was “entirely speculative” as Martin had no history of attempting to interfere with the witnesses.
“I am persuaded that there is a compelling reason to grant bail in this matter,” Wallington said.
Martin’s bail conditions require that he stay at a fixed address in Hoppers Crossing and make no attempts to contact any of the prosecution’s witnesses.
He is due to face court again in April.
If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.
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