Man charged with historic rape

A man has been charged with a 17-year-old rape as a result of new DNA evidence.

The 37-year-old Wanganui man appeared in the Wanganui District Court yesterday on charges relating to the abduction and rape of a Hawke’s Bay woman in 1998.

He is facing charges of threatening to kill, abduction, aggravated assault and rape. He was remanded in custody to reappear in court again on 15 April.

Detective Sergeant Tim Smith of the Hawke’s Bay Sexual Assault Team said the alleged rape occurred in Napier early on the morning of 6 February 1998.

The female victim had left a Napier bar and was found a short time later in distress on the beach near Marine Parade.

She was aged 27 at the time.

The incident was reported at the time but the arrest comes 17 years later as a result of forensic developments in the case.

Mr Smith said the victim was emotional but very relieved when told of the new developments and the arrest.

She is being supported by Victim Support.

Police cannot make any further comment about the case at it is now before the courts.

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