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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Matt Carr

Door-knock decades after alleged sexual assault lands man behind bars

Police arrested the man after a knock on the door in February, almost 30 years after the alleged offending. File picture

A MAN remains behind bars after knocking on the door of the home where he had allegedly sexually assaulted a woman almost 30 years earlier.

Lake Macquarie man Shannon George Roberts was arrested this week in the historical case and was refused bail when he fronted court on Friday.

Police claim a 35-year-old woman was at her home in Lake Munmorah on the Central Coast in 1996 when a man entered the property, sexually assaulted her, then fled.

Decades passed with no charges laid.

In February this year, the now 63-year-old woman allegedly answered a knock on the door at that same house and spoke briefly to a man.

Police allege it was the same man that attacked her at the home back in 1996.

Detectives from Tuggerah Lakes were alerted and conducted an extensive investigation, homing in on the now 52-year-old man at Morisset at about 10am on March 12.

Roberts was arrested at an address on Alliance Drive, less than 20 minutes from the scene of the alleged assault, and taken to Wyong Police Station.

A string of charges were levelled against him, including aggravated break-and-enter and inflict actual bodily harm, and inflict actual bodily harm with intent to have intercourse.

He also faces three counts of stalking or intimidating, two counts of assault with act of indecency, aggravated break-and-enter with people there, and entering a building with intent.

Roberts faced Wyong Local Court for the first time on March 13 and again on March 15, when he made no bid for bail.

Magistrate Carl Milovanovich ordered Roberts to remain behind bars ahead of his next court date later this month, when his matter is listed for a bail review.

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