DNA breakthrough 'great' for victims

A DNA breakthrough in a historic rape case will have other criminals feeling more than a little nervous, police say.

Police said the arrest of a man 12 years after he was alleged to have sexually violated a woman in South Auckland was also good news for other rape and sex victims whose attackers had yet to be brought to justice.

A 40-year-old man appeared in court yesterday after he was alleged to have sexually violated a 30-year-old woman in Manukau in 1994.

Police would not say how they got the man's DNA but said it was obtained in February this year and matched with samples taken during the 1994 inquiry.

Detective Sergeant Brett Shields said it was a serious case when it was reported in June, 1994, but most of the detectives who worked on the inquiry had since left the police.

He said it was a very pleasing result.

"He wasn't on the system until January-February this year. When they finally got his sample and profiled it, it matched the old crime scene sample."

Mr Shields said it was very encouraging the system was working.

"It proves that the good work 12 years ago has netted us an offender now."

He said there were numerous other unidentified samples in the police database of crimes that had yet to be matched to an individual, some going back more than 12 years.

He said the victim of the 1994 attack was very pleased to hear of the arrest."But she is now going through the 'revictimisation' where she is having to think about things all over again. It has been lying dormant for 12 years and now she is having to relive it again, unfortunately."

He said it was encouraging news for other victims whose attackers had not been caught.

"It is a great result for victims. It is a good result for police but it is a great result for victims.

"They [attackers] might get away with it for a wee while but eventually their past will catch up with them," Mr Shields said.

- NZPA