In literally every woman’s worst nightmare, a woman was allegedly gang raped in Sydney during a date with a man she met online.
The 22-year-old woman met the man on a dating app and after chatting, the two arranged a date.
When she was in the bathroom at a home in Belmore on April 16, four men arrived at the residence and allegedly sexually assaulted her.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad and Campsie Police Area Command created the team Strike Force Herb to investigate the assault. Four men were charged in relation to the incident over the following four months.
A 24-year-old man from Ashcroft was charged with six counts of aggravated sexual assault in company with other person/s in June. A 19-year-old was charged with two counts of the same offence at Granville Police Station.
Last Wednesday (August 21), a third man attended Newtown Police Station where he was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault in company. He was granted strict conditional bail and will appear at Newtown Local Court on 22 September.
On Tuesday morning (September 6), a fourth man attended Bankstown Police Station where he too was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault in company. He was refused bail and faced Bankstown Local Court later that same day.
According to NSW law, “aggravated sexual assault in company” refers to “sexual intercourse with a person who does not consent, knowing that the person has not consented and while in the company of another person and at the time, immediately before or immediately after the commission of offence”.
Investigations under Strike Force Herb are continuing.
The maximum penalty for aggravated sexual assault in company is imprisonment for life. The standard non-parole period for a full sentence is 15 years.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
