News | Law and Order
11 Feb 2025 14:12
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Law and Order

    Man charged more than 40 years after woman assaulted in her Melbourne home

    Police allege Michael Francis Martin, 69, sexually assaulted an elderly woman by breaking into her home in Melbourne's inner-west in 1981 and 1983.


    A Melbourne man charged over alleged rapes dating back four decades will make a bid for freedom after he was arrested on Friday and brought before a court.

    Police allege Michael Francis Martin, 69, sexually assaulted an elderly woman by breaking into her home in Melbourne's inner-west in 1981 and 1983.

    The alleged victim, Jessie Grace Lauder, was aged in her 80s at the time of the attacks and died in 1993.

    Early Friday afternoon, police announced they had arrested a Hoppers Crossing man in Wyndham Vale. Shortly after, police said they had charged him with multiple offences.

    He faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday afternoon charged with two counts of attempted aggravated rape, aggravated burglary, aggravated indecent assault, rape, burglary and common assault.

    During a brief filing hearing, a lawyer for Mr Martin said he would make an application for bail on Tuesday, and would in the meantime be held in custody.

    The lawyer said there were a number of health issues Mr Martin was battling, including a tumour in his neck that required hospital treatment.

    Mr Martin was not required to enter a plea to the charges.

    Alleged assaults happened two years apart

    Police previously said Ms Lauder was 82 years old and lived alone in Mason Street, Newport, in Melbourne's inner-west, when she was attacked the first time.

    She had lived at the property for 55 years and was widowed in 1977.

    On Tuesday, September 22, 1981, police said Ms Lauder was in bed when a man forced entry through a back door at about 10pm.

    He entered the bedroom armed with a knife and then took her to another room and sexually assaulted her.

    Police said he then looked through Ms Lauder's purse before leaving the property by climbing over the back fence.

    The same man is alleged to have returned almost two years later on July 6, 1983.

    This time Ms Lauder was in the lounge room getting ready for bed about 9pm when the man broke into her home through the front door.

    Police said he sexually assaulted her again.

    During the second incident, the man referred to the earlier offence in 1981 and warned Ms Lauder not to call police.

    In both incidents, police said the man concealed his identity with items over his face.

    Grandson fronted fresh police appeal

    Earlier this month, Ms Lauder's grandson Malcolm made an emotional public appeal for information to solve the case, describing her as an independent woman who lived through two world wars and raised two sons during The Great Depression.

    "She was five-foot-nothing, my grandmother, five-foot-nothing, and someone has gone into the sanctuary of her own home, not once but twice — somewhere she should be the most protected that she should ever feel," Mr Lauder said.

    In a statement, police described Friday's arrest as "a momentous day" that came after years of investigations.

    "If you have experienced sexual violence or abuse, even decades ago, police will listen and we will investigate," Detective Inspector Mark Burnett said.

    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

     Other Law and Order News
     11 Feb: More patrols of West Auckland train stations after a spate of creepy incidents
     11 Feb: A senior Canterbury police officer was investigated after multiple complaints from colleagues - including of bullying
     11 Feb: A 34-year-old man's been charged with murder - over the death of a woman in Ngaruawahia just after Christmas
     11 Feb: Israeli police seize books during raid on East Jerusalem bookshop run by Palestinian family
     11 Feb: Police say they're making good progress on investigations into a woman being found critically injured, in a Christchurch park
     11 Feb: Metropolitan Police response criticised at Sam Kerr's racially aggravated harassment trial in London
     11 Feb: A woman's been arrested and charged after a fatal drink driving incident in Napier at the end of last year
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni has praised his side for defying the odds to beat Kansas City and win Super Bowl LIX More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Kendrick Lamar’s big Super Bowl moment More...



     Today's News

    Cricket:
    Opening batter Devon Conway believes Pakistan will be the Black Caps' opponent in Friday's Tri Nations final in Karachi 14:07

    Law and Order:
    More patrols of West Auckland train stations after a spate of creepy incidents 13:47

    Entertainment:
    Heidi Montag gets "so emotional" when she thinks about losing her home in the LA wildfires 13:42

    Law and Order:
    A senior Canterbury police officer was investigated after multiple complaints from colleagues - including of bullying 13:27

    International:
    Hamas suspends hostage releases as 'warning' over alleged ceasefire breaches 13:17

    Entertainment:
    A long-awaited nine-hour documentary on Prince has been shelved by Netflix 13:12

    Business:
    Kendrick Lamar’s big Super Bowl moment 13:07

    Business:
    Donald Trump says there will be 'no exemptions' to tariffs on steel and aluminium imports 13:07

    Cricket:
    Black Caps batter Devon Conway's happy to be back in the runs after a lean patch 13:07

    Entertainment:
    Kris Jenner has announced the sale of her Hidden Hills mansion 12:42


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd