Detectives have charged two men over alleged child sexual abuse uncovered as part of inquiries into the disappearances of young women in the Lake Macquarie area in the late 1970s.
Strike Force Arapaima was established in April 2019 by Lake Macquarie detectives to re-examine the investigations into the 1979 disappearances and suspected murders of Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson, as well as the 1994 kidnapping and suspected murder of Gordana Kotevski.
As part of ongoing investigations, detectives have been conducting inquiries relating to activity in the east Lake Macquarie area the night Amanda went missing on Friday 20 April, 1979, including a private fundraiser function at the former Swansea Bowling Club.
While exploring this line of inquiry, Strike Force Arapaima detectives uncovered information relating to the sexual abuse of two boys in the late 1980s and early 1990s by two men, who were known to them.
Following extensive inquiries, a 69-year-old man was arrested at a home in Seven Hills about 9.20am last Wednesday and taken to Blacktown Police Station.
He was charged with three counts of sexual assault (Cat 4) assault + indecent act, in company; two counts of sexual assault (Cat 4) incite indecent act person under 16, two counts of sexual assault (Cat 4) indecent act with person under 16 and sexual intercourse with child 10 or over and under 16 years.
The man appeared at Blacktown Local Court on the same day, where he was formally refused bail to re-appear at the same court on Thursday 13 January 2022. A second man – also aged 69 – was arrested in Greenacre about 8.25am on Thursday.
He was taken to Bankstown Police Station and charged with 41 offences including multiple counts of each sexual intercourse with child 10 or over and under 16 years, sexual assault (Cat 4) assault + indecent act, in company; sexual assault (Cat 4) incite indecent act person under 16, and sexual assault (Cat 4) indecent act with person under 16.
He was refused bail to appear in Bankstown Local Court on Thursday.
As investigations into the girls’ disappearances continue, Strike Force Arapaima detectives are seeking to identify and speak with other attendees of the fundraiser function on Friday 20 April 1979.
Investigators believe those attendees may have relevant information which could assist with their inquiries.