Two arrested over gang rape as police slammed on tape delay: [B Qld First Edition]
Simon Kearney, John Stapleton. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 10 Aug 2006: 3.
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Abstract
Within hours of distributing the images of the five men wearing white tradesman-style overalls as they walked through Darling Harbour, a 25-year-old man from the southwestern suburb of Leumeah surrendered himself at Bankstown police station. He was charged with aggravated sexual assault.
Detective Inspector Jon Alt yesterday defended the timing of the release of the CCTV footage, which captured the men from behind. Inspector Alt, the crime manager for inner Sydney, said the investigation might have been compromised were the information made public earlier.
NSW police faced similar criticisms earlier this year over the failure of Taskforce Enoggera to release CCTV footage of revenge attacks conducted on the night of the December 11 Cronulla riots.
Full Text
A POLICE decision to withhold CCTV footage of five Sydney gang rape suspects from the public for two months has been criticised after the release of the tapes yesterday sparked immediate arrests.
Within hours of distributing the images of the five men wearing white tradesman-style overalls as they walked through Darling Harbour, a 25-year-old man from the southwestern suburb of Leumeah surrendered himself at Bankstown police station. He was charged with aggravated sexual assault.
Several hours later, a 17-year-old from the western suburb of Villawood turned himself in at Surry Hills police station. He was also charged with aggravated sexual assault and will appear in Bidura Children’s Court today.
Police allege the pair were among four men who raped a 19-year- old woman in a public toilet block on the Darling Walk near theChinese Gardens about 6.30pm on June 8, with a fifth man acting as a lookout outside.
Detective Inspector Jon Alt yesterday defended the timing of the release of the CCTV footage, which captured the men from behind. Inspector Alt, the crime manager for inner Sydney, said the investigation might have been compromised were the information made public earlier.
“We still stand by the fact that today was the appropriate time to release this to the media and the public,” Inspector Alt said.
“It is obviously a brazen attack. Anyone who conducts a rape when people are around, it is very brazen and very powerful. Darling Harbour is a heavily populated area. We are appealing for any witnesses.” Police believe the incident was a one-off attack.
Police believe they have significant leads on the other men involved after a “good” response from the public yesterday.
NSW police faced similar criticisms earlier this year over the failure of Taskforce Enoggera to release CCTV footage of revenge attacks conducted on the night of the December 11 Cronulla riots.
Enoggera head Detective Superintendent Dennis Bray was sacked in January for withholding the footage amid claims the police were being soft on Middle Eastern crime. He was reinstated after his officers said they had been quietly using the video to identify therevenge attackers.
NSW Opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher said the public had had a right to know such a brutal attack had occurred in a busy tourist area.
“The offenders know what they did, the victim … knows what happened and the police know. That investigation could have continued and would have continued,” he said.
“The public had a right to know that we had gang rapists blatantly operating in Darling Harbour shortly after sunset on an incredibly packed night.”
Just after dark, the victim was strolling along Darling Walk, not far from the Central City police station. Police allege the men engaged her in conversation and lured her to a toilet block near the end of Liverpool Street where the assault took place.
Over the following hour, four of the men allegedly raped the woman, while one stood guard outside.