For nearly three decades, a horrific crime against a nine-year-old boy on the New South Wales Central Coast went unsolved. But yesterday, thanks to advancements in forensic science, detectives finally made an arrest, closing the net on a cold case dating back to 1996.
The 1996 Incident
The investigation began on Tuesday, March 26, 1996. Police allege that a nine-year-old boy was sexually assaulted on the Central Coast by a man who was a stranger to him.
Despite an immediate investigation and extensive inquiries by detectives at the time, the trail went cold. Without the technology we have today, police were unable to identify or arrest a suspect, leaving the case unresolved for 29 years.
Forensic Science Cracks the Case
The case was never closed. Detectives from the Tuggerah Lakes Criminal Investigation team continued to review the evidence.
Police revealed that "advances in forensic DNA technology" recently provided the crucial breakthrough needed to identify a suspect.
On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, detectives acted on this new evidence. They travelled to Bathurst Police Station where they arrested a 65-year-old man.
Charges Laid
The man has been charged with serious historical offences:
- Sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 10 years.
- Attempted sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 10 years.
He was refused bail by police and is scheduled to appear before Bail Division Court 4 today (Thursday, November 27, 2025).
Source: NSW Police
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