Robbery & Serious Crime Squad detectives have extradited a man from Victoria for his alleged role in the kidnapping and sexual assault of a woman earlier this year.
About 6.45pm on Saturday 20 April 2024, officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command were called to Epping following reports a woman had been kidnapped.
Police arrived and were told a woman had allegedly been forced into a Toyota Camry by a group of unknown men, before the vehicle left the scene.
Officers established a crime scene and detectives attached to State Crime Command’s Robbery & Serious Crime Squad established Strike Force Held to investigate the incident.
About 1pm Sunday 21 April 2024, detectives located the 36-year-old woman at a different address in Sydney’s west, where she told police she had been allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted.
Strike force detectives immediately took the woman to hospital for treatment.
Following inquiries, detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Eastwood on Monday 22 April 2024.
During the search, strike force detectives located clothing belonging to the woman, prohibited drugs, and bindings – believed to have been used during the alleged sexual assault.
The items – which were all located in a bin – were seized for further forensic examination.
Following further inquiries, about 8am Thursday 6 June 2024, detectives – with assistance from Victoria Police – arrested a 29-year-old man in Oakleigh East.
On Friday 7 June 2024 detectives extradited the 29-year-old to Sydney where he was taken to Mascot Police Station.
He has been charged with take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm, knowingly direct activities of criminal group, aggravated sexual assault in company and deprive liberty, intentionally record intimate images without consent, threaten to distribute intimate images without consent and use intoxicating substance to commit indictable offence.
The man was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on today (Saturday 8 June 2024).
Police will allege in court the man kidnapped and drugged the woman before photographing her during the sexual assault and threatening to release the images unless the woman paid him $300k.
Investigations under Strike Force Held continue.
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
