Constantinos Polihronas jailed after DNA technology linked him to rape – three decades later

In 1994, a woman was violently raped after accepting a ride home from Heaven nightclub. For years her attacker was at large – until now.

A man was convicted of a cold-case rape after DNA technology became advanced enough to finally linked him to the horrific crime.

Constantinos Polihronas, 55, was jailed after he told the woman he drove home from a nightclub that she needed to pay him with sex.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Polihronas came across the victim at either Heaven nightclub or the Joplins bar next door in March 1994.

The court heard the “heavily intoxicated” victim was distressed because she had no way of getting home so Polihronas offered her a lift.

Polihronas drove her to an isolated location.

“You told her that she needed to pay for you driving her home with sex,” Judge Emily Telfer said.

Constantinos Polihronas was jailed after DNA technology linked him to a 1994 rape three decades later. Photo: File

“You told her you were engaged to a nice Greek girl who would not have sex before marriage so you needed to have it with her.”

When the victim refused to co-operate with his attempts to pull up her skirt he struck her hard to her face.

“Unsurprisingly she went into what she described at trial a ‘survival mode’,” Judge Telfer said.

“She complied with your demands simply to get out of the situation alive.

“You raped her in the front seat of your vehicle.”

The victim then directed Polihronas to a street where she pretended she lived and immediately called the police.

Polihronas’ crime went unsolved for 25 years but was identified when DNA technology became advanced enough to link him to the attack.

He was found guilty by a jury after a trial.

In her victim impact statement, the victim said the attack changed her life forever and she holds a fear that he will return and take revenge on her.

“She was a young woman with a promising career and a dream of living a happy and carefree life,” Judge Telfer said.

“You took all of that from her.”

The court heard Polihronas, who is married with three children, maintains his denial of the offending.

Judge Telfer sentenced Polihronas to nine years jail, with a non-parole period of six years.

“(The victim) was a complete stranger to you and you took advantage of her vulnerability and her distress,” she said.

“(She) thought she was going to die and in the circumstances that you had created that fear was understandable.”

The sentence was backdated to April 7.

Originally published as Constantinos Polihronas jailed after DNA technology linked him to rape – three decades later