By Rebecca Peppiatt and Ezra Holt
The knifepoint rape of a young boy 33 years ago has led to the arrest of a man this week, and WA Police say they have groundbreaking DNA technology to thank.
The incident occurred in Carine Open Space, in Perth’s north, in October 1991 when a 13-year-old boy was riding his bike to a friend’s house when he was confronted by a man police now allege is 54-year-old Gavin Jeffery Durbridge.
WA police officer Chloe White.
Durbridge allegedly threatened the boy with a large kitchen knife before allegedly restraining then sexually assaulting him.
“He grabbed the victim and pulled him along a dirt path,” police prosecutors said during Durbridge’s court hearing on Tuesday morning.
“He said to the boy, ‘I’m not here to hurt you, just stay calm’.”
Police then allege Durbridge bound the boy’s hands together and took off his shoes, and covered his head with a tea towel secured with tape.
He then allegedly gagged him, pushed his face into the dirt and assaulted him.
The young victim told police immediately and they swabbed his underwear.
That swab was kept for 33 years and WA Police arrested Durbridge on Monday.
“New investigative techniques using genetic genealogy, coupled with good old-fashioned detective work, led to the result,” a spokesman said.
“The Investigative Genealogy Team became involved in this case earlier this year and their research led to a family tree of nearly 3500 people being identified. Hard work narrowed down to this day.”
The DNA technique is the same method police in the USA employed to catch the Golden Gate Killer who was responsible for nearly 60 home invasions, 50 rapes and 13 murders. He had at least 106 victims dating back to the 1970s but wasn’t arrested until 2018 when police used genealogy data to match his DNA to the crimes.
“Investigative genetic genealogy is an emerging investigative technique, which WA Police are at the forefront of across this country,” Special Crime Squad Detective Superintendent Rohan Ingles said.
“The technique involves assessing crime scene samples or DNA samples from unidentified human remains, processing through a different process being the genetic genealogy site to ascertain who owns that profile.
“Solving cases like this is incredibly rewarding, but most importantly, it’s about the victim and providing them with some level of comfort that they are not forgotten, that we’re looking into these offences constantly.”
Durbridge was charged with deprivation of liberty and two counts of aggravated sexual assault.
He applied for bail through a duty lawyer which was denied after the magistrate said the details of the offending were some of the worst he had ever heard.
“Prosecution case is DNA evidence which is generally strong evidence,” he said.
“It’s been matched to you, that is normally very difficult evidence to refute.”
Durbridge will be back before the courts in July.
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