22 Jan 2019

DNA leads to breakthrough in historical sex attack case

12:07 pm on 22 January 2019

A man has been sentenced for an historical sex attack on a woman in Kaitaia.

Wiremu Abraham entered the woman's home while she was sleeping with children inside and raped and assaulted her in 2003.

Police were at a dead end with their investigation until a breakthrough last year.

Abraham was arrested on another matter and his DNA was matched to samples taken in the Kaitaia house at the time.

He has been sentenced yesterday in the Manukau District Court to eight years and one month in prison on multiple charges of rape and indecent assault.

Detective Sergeant Mark Dalzell said the woman had suffered significant trauma and had been strong throughout the court case.

"This was a shocking, targeted attack and crime like this are rare in our town ... we promised our victim that we would not close the case and we were determined to eventually solve it," he said.