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Gang rape of 14-year-old girl: teenage boy is charged over alleged attack
Gang rape of 14-year-old girl: teenage boy is charged over alleged attack
(about 3 hours later)
A teenage boy has been charged with sexual assault following an alleged gang rape in western Sydney.
A teenage boy has been charged with sexual assault following an alleged gang rape in western Sydney and refused bail.
A 14-year-old girl was walking home from her friend’s house on Saturday night when she was attacked in a park at Doonside in Sydney’s west.
A 14-year-old girl was walking home from her friend’s house on Saturday night when she was attacked in a park at Doonside.
Police said a man approached the girl in Bill Colbourne Reserve at 11pm, forced her to the ground and sexually assaulted her.
Police said a man approached the girl in Bill Colbourne Park at 11pm (AEDT), forced her to the ground and sexually assaulted her. The man’s five friends then allegedly took turns in an assault lasting 30 minutes.
The man’s five friends then allegedly took turns in an assault lasting 30 minutes.
On Thursday night, a 16-year-old boy turned up at Blacktown police station where he was charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent.
Police confirmed on Thursday night a 16-year-old had presented himself to Blacktown police station.
The teen stayed in the cells as Parramatta children’s court briefly heard his matter on Friday morning. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. But his lawyer said he would make a bail application on February 21.
He was charged with one count of sexual assault and was refused bail to appear in court on Friday.
Court papers show the teen’s country of birth as Sudan.
The arrest came as police and African and Pacific Islander community leaders took part in a unity walk through Blacktown on Thursday night.
The victim is believed to have a Pacific Islander background while all the alleged offenders are described as African in appearance.
There have been concerns raised over the potential for racial tensions to boil over between the two groups.
With social media feeding fears of reprisals, there were concerns racial tensions would boil over between the two groups. African and Pacific Islander community leaders and police took part in a unity walk through Blacktown on Thursday night.
The victim is believed to have a Pacific Islander background while the alleged offenders are described as African in appearance.
Police say the victim is very traumatised and is being supported by family and friends.
Asked about reported social media comments signalling reprisal violence, Superintendent Gary Merryweather confirmed on Thursday police were keeping an eye on it.
“There is a lot of hearsay conversations running around through electronic communications that happen these days,” he said. “Police are aware, we can’t say we are aware of everything, but we are being vigilant in that area.”
Police were also increasing patrols in Blacktown, Doonside and on trains, he added.
Merryweather said everyone was upset about the attack and the tensions existed because of “the crime not because of the race”.
A Sudanese community figure, John Kon, said he was not aware of any tensions, except on social media.
“It has been divided into an African and Pacific Islander’s problem but we as a community don’t have such a problem,” he said. “Criminal are criminals and have to be treated as criminals.”
The gang rape occurred while the girl was walking home from a friend’s house through Bill Colbourne Reserve just before midnight.
Merryweather said the victim was very traumatised and was being supported by family and friends.
