Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a man over several alleged historical sexual assaults in the Central Coast area.
Between 1997 and 2000, a number of sexual assaults occurred in the Central Coast area by what police believed was the same offender:
- About 7.25am on Saturday 4 October 1997, a 23-year-old woman was approached by an unknown man along a pathway at Shelly Beach, who forcibly and indecently touched the woman and then fled the scene.
- About 9.45am on Friday 28 February 1998, a 52-year-old woman was sunbaking on Forresters Beach when she approached by a naked man. He covered the woman's face and sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene.
- Shortly after 6pm on Friday 30 October 1998, a teenage girl was walking up a bush track at Forresters Beach when she was approached by an unknown man. The man pushed the girl to the ground, before sexually assaulting her and fleeing the scene.
- Between 2.30pm and 3pm on Wednesday 14 April 1999, a 16-year-old girl was walking along a bush track at Budgewoi Beach when she was approached by an unknown man. The man forced the girl into the sand and kicked, punched and indecently touched her before fleeing the scene in a white vehicle. During the man may have sustained an injury to his hand consistent with a bite mark.
- Between 10.30am and 11.30am on Saturday 28 August 1999, three young girls were walking along a trail at Putty Beach near Kilcare when they were approached by a naked man. As the man ran towards the girls, two were able to flee, but a 16-year-old tripped and was allegedly sexually assaulted by the man.
The assaults were initially investigated under Strike Force Northgate before the matter was referred to the State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad under Strike Force Caphs in 2022.
Following extensive inquiries - including a public appeal for information and the use of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) - about 7am on Friday 13 February 2026, strike force detectives arrested a 73-year-old man at a service station on Tweed Valley Way in Murwillumbah.
He was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station, where he was charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent, two counts of aggravated sexual assault-inflict actual bodily harm on victim, and three counts of assault with act of indecency.
The man was refused bail to appear in Bail Division Local Court 1 yesterday (Saturday 14 February 2026).
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into alleged historic sexual assaults is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
