Ranges Trader
Concerns rise for winter Covid peak
VCAT win for Knox locals
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Tuesday, 19 July, 2022
Mail Local CFA crews prepare for stair climb PAGE 14
A Star News Group Publication
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Historic charges By Parker McKenzie A 71-year-old Drouin man will remain in custody in relation to historic alleged sexual assault, abduction and stalking in the Dandenong Ranges after being charged and facing Melbourne Magistrates court. The man will appear in court again in November on 35 charges, including rape, abduction of a child under 16 years, false imprisonment, making threats to kill, an indecent act against a child under 16, stalking and firearms and weapons offences. Detective Inspector of the Sexual Crimes Squad Juliann Goldrick said the man was arrested without incident in Abbotsford on Wednesday 13 July and interviewed in relation to two incidents on 24 September 1998 in Belgrave and 1 December 1998 in Clematis. “He’s being interviewed in relation to two incidents currently, both of them occurred in 1998 and were the subject of intense investigation at the time,” she said. Det. Insp. Goldrick said on 24 September 1998, a woman hitchhiking along BelgraveGembrook Road in Belgrave was picked up by a man in a vehicle who offered to give her a lift before “being taken to a remote area, threatened with a firearm and sexually assaulted before being dropped in Emerald.” “Three months later, on the first of December 1998, A female was hitchhiking along Wellington Road in Clematis. She was picked up by a man who threatened her with a firearm, drove her to a remote area and sexually assaulted her before leaving her at the Belgrave railway station,” she said. “Detectives are looking at any links between these matters and a number of other alleged incidents involving sexual assault, abduction and stalking in the Dandenong ranges
area between 1996 and 2000.” The incidents of interest involve a man approaching women in isolated areas and offering them a lift. Det. Insp. Goldrick said the victims are aged between 15 and 22. “These incidents occurred in and around the Belgrave railway station Wellington Road, Belgrave-Gembrook Road in Belgrave, Selby and Menzies Creek,” she said. “We believe a number of different vehicles were used by the male in the incidents, including a Toyota 4runner four-wheel-drive, maroon in colour.” Police are appealing for anyone with further information regarding those or similar incidents, particularly women who were hitchhiking in the area at the time, to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report via the Victoria Police website at www. police.vic.gov.au/report. Det. Insp. Goldrick said even those who hitchhiked without incident in the area might have valuable information. “I’d like to acknowledge that it is possible that there are people out in the community who were sexually assaulted in similar circumstances,” she said. “For whatever reason, they may not have come forward to police as yet. I ask you to consider coming forward and telling us your story. “This includes women who were approached by a man in a vehicle in the Dandenong Ranges area, offered a ride and threatened with a weapon and sexually assaulted.” If you or someone you know needs support, call 1800RESPECT, national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service, on 1800 737 732 or reach out via the online chat on their website.
April has been selling origami to raise funds for Paddy’s surgeries. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Lifeline for Paddy A local family aiming to fundraise $25,000 for surgeries for their in-training support dog has already raised $10,000 through the sale of origami items and donations. Padfoot, or Paddy for short, is a near-
ly one-year-old Labrador who is being trained as an emotional support dog for 13-year-old Kai. Read more on page 7
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