Victoria Police is today announcing a $500,000 reward in an appeal for public information to help solve a series of child sexual assaults dating back almost four decades.
Detectives from the Sexual Crime Squad’s Cold Case Unit believe four incidents that occurred in high-rise apartments in Melbourne’s inner north and east between 1982 and 1988 are linked.
On 24 October 1982, detectives have been told an unknown man attended high-rise flats on Elizabeth Street in Richmond.
The man approached a then 3-year-old girl, took her upstairs to a clothes drying room and sexually assaulted her.
Just over two months later, on 19 December of the same year, a man approached two girls, aged 3 and 5, at a different apartment building on the same street.
On this occasion the man attempted to sexually assault the girls and when one of them screamed, he threatened to throw her off a balcony.
A year later, on 3 December 1983, a man approached a 6-year-old girl and her brother at a building on Campbell Street in Collingwood.
The man spoke to the pair before taking the girl to a drying room on an upper level of the building and assaulting her.
On 5 January 1988, an unknown man approached a 5-year-old girl and her 7-year-old brother at high-rise flats on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
He offered them money and took the girl to each level of the building until finding an unlocked drying room on an upper floor, where he sexually assaulted her.
Although the incidents were reported to police shortly after they occurred and were subject to investigation at the time, the identity of the offender remains unknown.
Detectives are appealing for anyone with information, particularly those who lived in the high-rise apartments at the time and who may have witnessed anything suspicious, to come forward.
Police are uncertain whether there are other victims out there who never reported matters to police and would urge anyone to come forward.
Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.auExternal Link
Quotes attributable to Detective Inspector Juliann Goldrick, Sexual crimes Squad:
“Nearly 40 years has passed since these horrendous events occurred, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for these now adult men and women to get the justice they deserve.
“For that reason, we’re announcing a $500,000 reward for information which will hopefully allow us to identify, arrest and convict those responsible for these reprehensible acts.
“These families deserve closure and for some that can only be achieved by holding the individual or individuals responsible to account and police are committed to doing that.
“Despite the decades that have passed, there is every reason to believe someone out there today knows something about these events, and we would urge you to come forward and speak to police.”
