1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Very disturbing news yesterday that a twenty one year old 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: man has been arrested now following the sexual assault of 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: a three year old boy in Karama. Now joining me 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: in the studio right now is Commander Martin Dole from 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory Police. 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 2: Good morning to your commander. 7 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, morning to your listeners. 8 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 2: Now, firstly, what happened on Thursday last week? 9 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 3: Well, Katie, there's been a lot of speculation, there's been 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 3: a lot of false media and false narrative about this, 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 3: and I just want to correct the record in relation 12 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 3: to that. So, there was an incident last Thursday in 13 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 3: Karma where a three year old child was assaulted in 14 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 3: their front yard. The male offender was apprehended a very 15 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 3: short time later and has stayed in custody since that time. 16 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 2: What has that offender been charged with. 17 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 3: He's been charged with sexual intercourse without consent and gross 18 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 3: in decency with a minor. 19 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: So you know, it is an assault, obviously, but it 20 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: sounds like a very sexual assault, Katie. 21 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 3: Every sexual assault is a serious sexual assault. 22 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 2: No doubt about it. 23 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: But we are talking about here a three year old, 24 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: a three year old and a twenty one year old. Now, 25 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,639 Speaker 1: where are these investigations at at the moment. 26 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 3: So, as I said earlier, the offender is still in custody. Obviously, 27 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 3: our Sex Crimes and Child Abused Task Force detectives are 28 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 3: still conducting investigations and the matter is currently before the court. 29 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 2: Was that child known to the twenty one year. 30 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 3: Old It's not believed. So no, Katie. 31 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 2: And so is it correct that the three year old 32 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 2: was in their yard in their home in Karama? 33 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 3: The child was in the front yard behind a secured fence. 34 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: And a stranger has somehow sexually assaulted this three year old. 35 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 3: That's correct, Yes, that's what's alleged. 36 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,279 Speaker 1: This look for me, this is such a concerning story 37 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: as a parent, and I think that you know, there's 38 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: a lot to take in here, but the biggest thing 39 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: for me to take in is that I think to 40 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: myself as a parent, my children safe in their yard? 41 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 3: Well, I would like to hope that everyone has the 42 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 3: confidence that your children are safe in their yards. 43 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: Katie. 44 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 3: This is an a barrant crime. People that perpetrate sex 45 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 3: offenses of any type are individuals, and I'd just like 46 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 3: to point out the Northern Territory Police are here to 47 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 3: keep people safe. We were notified at seven oh six 48 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 3: that evening. Police arrived at seven sixteen, and the offender 49 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 3: was located and arrested in custody at seven twenty four. 50 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: So it does sound as though things have happened really 51 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,839 Speaker 1: very quickly in terms of the police getting there incredibly 52 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: quickly to help that family and to help that little boy. 53 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: And he was that man, the twenty one year old 54 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: was apprehended very quickly. Was that man apprehended by family members? 55 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 3: No, he was apprehended by police. 56 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: Okay, but was sorry? Was he was he? 57 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: I guess held on site at that home by the 58 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: family of that little boy. 59 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 3: No, the offender fled the scene. He was. The incident 60 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 3: was witnessed by a passerby that was jogging. The passer 61 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 3: by alerted the family members that were in the house. 62 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 3: She used the family member's phone to phone the police, 63 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 3: and the offenders fled the scene. So police arrived a 64 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 3: short time later, like I said, and located the offender 65 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 3: in the area. He wasn't at the scene, He wasn't 66 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 3: apprehended at the scene. He was located a short distance 67 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 3: away by police who responded very quickly. 68 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: Why has it taken so long for the public to 69 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: be notified about this incident. 70 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, so that's a really good point, Katie. I think 71 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 3: there's a distinct difference between what's in the public interest 72 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 3: and what's just interesting to the public. In this instance, 73 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 3: this offender was apprehended within fifteen minutes of the offense happening. 74 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: At the forefront of everything we do with sexual offending 75 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 3: is the privacy and the care of the victims. So 76 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 3: in this regard, there was no public safety concerns. The 77 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 3: offender was in custody, we knew who he was, and 78 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: the family, as you can understand, were distraught. And it's 79 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 3: not our and we've got legislative preventions as well. It's 80 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 3: not common practice to put this stuff out in the 81 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 3: media instantly for everyone else's gratification. It's our At the 82 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 3: foremost of our thinking is protection of the victim, their 83 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 3: rights and how they're traveling. 84 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: Look for me, it's certainly not you know, not for 85 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: my gratification to find out about it. In fact, I 86 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: think that most members of the public would be feeling 87 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: absolutely mortified by. 88 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 2: The fact that this has happened. 89 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: But you know, from what you've said to me this morning, 90 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: this offender was not known to the family from what 91 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: you can gather, So I just don't understand how it's 92 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: not actually a matter of public importance that people are 93 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: aware of this, that there was a stranger to this 94 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: little boy who has sexually assaulted him in his yard. 95 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 3: Because the offender was apprehended Cadie, he was in custy. 96 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 3: So I do understand there is some public concern, but 97 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 3: our primary focus is the rights of the victim, the 98 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 3: protection of the victim, and how they're traveling. So we've 99 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 3: got some legislative preventions on giving too much detail. It's 100 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 3: not common practice to release every detail on every sexual 101 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 3: offense in the lawn territory. And what we do see 102 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 3: is we see further questioning and digging in to try 103 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 3: and get details that I'm bordering very close on breaching 104 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 3: the legislation and breaching the privacy of the victim, and 105 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 3: breaching certain legislative difficulties that we have in releasing that information. 106 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 2: So look for me. 107 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 1: I guess you know, you and I could argue about 108 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: whether it is in the public interest or whether people 109 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: should be notified about incidents like this, And you know 110 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm in the media, so I'm always going to say 111 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 1: that I think that people should actually be aware of 112 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: what's going on in the community. But also as a parent, 113 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: I'm always going to say that because I think to myself, 114 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: you know, as a parent of two little kids, I 115 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: actually want to know if this kind of thing's happening 116 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: in the community, so that I'm aware of what kind 117 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: of people we're dealing with. Sometimes, yeah, absolutely, Cannie. 118 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 3: So there's there's no hiding here. There's no secrets. It's 119 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: a public record that this offender is in court, that's 120 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 3: publicly available. It did take us several days to continue investigations. 121 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,679 Speaker 3: The offenders stayed in custody the whole time, and on Monday, 122 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 3: when the matter was before the court, we put out 123 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 3: a general public release with general description on the incident. 124 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 3: That's our common practice in sexual assault matters. Like I said, 125 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 3: we have to be careful about releasing information that leads 126 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 3: to the identification of the victim. And at the foremost 127 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,359 Speaker 3: of our thinking is the protection of the victim and 128 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 3: their family. 129 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: Should the government, I know, the Minister and the Chief 130 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,239 Speaker 1: Minister be notified when something be serious happens. 131 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 3: Ministerial notification was made in relation to this incident, and. 132 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: I understand as well that the Children's Commissioner had been 133 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: on the ABC earlier this morning saying that she was 134 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: not notified. 135 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 2: Is that something that should happen. 136 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 3: I'm not aware of that, Katie, But in general circumstances 137 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: in child sex offenders or defences against children, we've got 138 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 3: a close relationship with the Children's commission and we make 139 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 3: those notifications. 140 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: Yes, people in the area of Karama have been really 141 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: concerned for some time about some of the issues that 142 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: they've got with alcohol issues, people you know, behaving. 143 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 2: Badly in that suburb. 144 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: I mean, are we dealing with here the impacts of 145 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: some really bad anti social behavior in the suburb of Karama. 146 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 3: Look, Katie, I think crime is everyone's issue, and police 147 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 3: as always open to working with the community to make 148 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 3: a safer community for the Norn territory. And I think 149 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 3: in this instance you've got a great example of the 150 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 3: community working with police, notifying the police, and this offender 151 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 3: being apprehended in a very short period of time. So 152 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 3: thank you to the people of Karama, thank you to 153 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 3: that jogger that assisted us in apprehending this person. And 154 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 3: I think the community and police do work together, and 155 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 3: I encourage them to continue to do that and report 156 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 3: crime to police as it happens. 157 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: Can I just ask, you know, obviously the jogger notified 158 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: that family. If the jogger hadn't notified that family, is 159 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: there potential that this twenty one year old could have actually, 160 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: you know, sexually assaulted that little boy and also you know, 161 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: encountered other children. 162 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 3: I don't know, Katie, It's not helpful to speculate. In 163 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 3: this instance. We did apprehend him and that offending ceased 164 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 3: after that jogger intervened. So look, anything's possible in the world. 165 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 3: But what happened is what happened, and he was apprehended 166 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 3: very quickly, and that jogger is to be thanked by 167 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 3: the community and the police for their assistance. 168 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 2: Commanded. 169 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: There will be some people listening this morning who are 170 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: still feeling really concerned, worried that, you know, their kids 171 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: aren't safe in their yards upon hearing this situation. What 172 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: is your message for territory parents. 173 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 3: Look, I don't think there's a safety issue in the 174 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 3: Northern Territory. We're always going to have people that commit 175 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 3: to borign offenses. That's why the Northern Territory Police are 176 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 3: there to investigate and apprehend these people. I think the 177 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 3: Northern Territory are safe as they can be. I think 178 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 3: the police do a great job, the community do a 179 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 3: great job in partnership with the police, and I don't 180 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 3: think there's are concerned for people out there to be 181 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 3: alarmed that we're overrun with violent offenders that are going 182 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 3: to commit offenses in our front yard between behind lock gates. 183 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: Well, Commander Martin Dole, we are going to have to 184 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: leave it there. We've got a full morning lined up. 185 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: We really appreciate you popping in to speak to us 186 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:15,319 Speaker 1: this morning. 187 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 3: Thanks for your Tom Katie, thank you.