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A 35-year-old Hamilton-born man was yesterday charged with the attempted murder, sexual violation and robbery of a 21-year-old Dunedin woman brutally attacked and raped in the city eight days ago.
The man, who cannot be named, will appear in the Dunedin District Court on Tuesday.
Dunedin CIB head Detective Senior Sergeant Steve McGregor said police spoke to the man on Wednesday and Thursday and decided to lay charges yesterday. He declined to say where the man was spoken to.
The accused man is in custody, at a location Mr McGregor would not disclose. He would not be drawn on whether the man was facing any other serious charges in other NZ centres.
He declined to comment when asked about the connection between the man charged with the Dunedin attack and Liam James Reid, who has been charged with the murder of deaf woman Emma Agnew in Christchurch.
He said the man charged with rape was believed to have been in Dunedin city immediately before the attack about 12.30am on Saturday.
The victim, a student, was walking home from town along George St and Princes St when she was approached by the accused, who tried to make small talk with her.
He allegedly attacked her on Rattray St, dragging her into a car-park near Canongate and subjecting her to an attack that lasted more than two hours. The woman was choked, both with a nylon rope and the attacker's bare hands.
The accused was picked up while hitch-hiking about 3am on Saturday by a male member of the public and taken from the outskirts of Dunedin to the centre of Christchurch.
The rape victim arrived at Dunedin Hospital about 2.50am.
Mr McGregor said police were keeping an open mind on whether the man had committed any other crimes while in the city.
The victim, who is staying with family out of Dunedin, had responded well to the news that the alleged rapist had been charged, he said.
Mr McGregor said a team of 22 police staff in Dunedin would continue with the investigation.
More than 50 people had come forward with information.
He said the public had played a vital role in the investigation.
- Otago Daily Times
