74 year old man charged with historical sex offences

A 74-year-old man has been charged with five offences in relation to incidents alleged to have occurred in Canberra in the late 1970s.

In November 2023 an online report was made to ACT Policing relating to historical sexual assault allegations allegedly committed by the man against a primary school aged girl the man was regularly babysitting.

Allegations against the man include that he took the girl to nudist gatherings at a Canberra pool, that he bathed with the girl at his home and that he committed acts of indecency.

Following an investigation into the matter by officers from the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team (SACAT), the 74-year-old Bruce man was recently issued a summons to appear before court on 2 September 2024 to face five charges of indecent assault on a female.

Officer in Charge of SACAT, Detective inspector Stephanie Leonard reminded victim survivors there is no time limit to report this type of crime.

“We know victims can take significant periods of time to build up the courage to report sexual offences to police,” said Detective Inspector Leonard.

“We would like to assure all victims that we have specially trained and dedicated investigators ready to hear your matter.

“You can report online at any time, attend a police station or call 131 444 and we will support you through the process. We will also put you in touch with dedicated victim support services.

“I urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault to contact police as soon as possible so they can understand their options.”

Anyone who has any information in relation to this matter should Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Please quote 7631589. Information can be provided anonymously.