Historic Beach Assaults Under Investigation by Sex Crimes Squad
The State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad is actively investigating a series of violent and frightening assaults that targeted women and teenage girls along coastal areas between 1997 and 2000. Police believe the same offender is responsible for all six incidents, which occurred at various beaches and bush tracks in the region.
Details of the Incidents
The assaults span several years and locations, with victims ranging in age from teenagers to elderly women. The first reported incident occurred in October 1997 at Shelly Beach, where a 23-year-old woman was indecently assaulted along a pathway. Subsequent attacks followed at Forresters Beach, Budgewoi Beach, Putty Beach near Kilcare, and Wamberal.
In February 1998, a 52-year-old woman was sexually assaulted while sunbaking at Forresters Beach by a naked man who covered her face. Later that year, a 16-year-old girl was pushed to the ground and sexually assaulted while walking up a bush track at the same location.
The pattern continued in 1999 with two separate attacks on 16-year-old girls. One was forced into the sand, kicked, punched, and indecently touched at Budgewoi Beach, while the offender may have sustained a hand injury consistent with a bite mark during this assault. Another incident involved three young girls at Putty Beach, where one 16-year-old was allegedly sexually assaulted after tripping while trying to flee.
The final known incident occurred in March 2000 when a 77-year-old woman was grabbed and pulled into bushland at Wamberal, but her screams alerted a nearby resident, causing the offender to flee.
Description of the Offender
In each incident, the man was described as being in his 40s at the time, which would place him in his mid-70s today. Witnesses reported him as Caucasian with a tanned complexion, of solid build, with light-coloured hair, and standing between 170cm and 180cm tall.
Police believe the offender has intimate knowledge of the Central Coast, Hunter Region, and Forster area, suggesting he may be a local resident or frequent visitor to these coastal communities.
Police Investigation and Appeal
The assaults were initially investigated under Strike Force Northgate before being referred to the Sex Crimes Squad under Strike Force Caphs in 2022. As part of a renewed public appeal, detectives have released an image of a Toyota utility believed to be linked to the man. They also believe he used a white Hyundai Excel in two of the offences.
Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty emphasized that police remain committed to solving this case, stating: "Police never give up on seeking justice for victims. No matter how much time has passed, we continue to pursue every available avenue to identify those responsible for serious crimes."
She added that new investigative tools and technologies, combined with changing personal circumstances over time, may provide fresh opportunities for information to emerge. "We recognise that as time passes, people's circumstances and allegiances change. Relationships shift, families grow apart, and individuals who may not have been willing or able to assist years ago may now feel differently."
Anyone with information about these assaults or who recognises the man's description is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Police are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who may have known someone with access to either a Toyota utility or white Hyundai Excel during the relevant time period.
