CRIMINALS have been warned they will be found, after police used DNA evidence to arrest a man for a crime allegedly committed 16 years ago.

Timothy Garland, 34, from Mt Coolum on the Sunshine Coast, appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court today for an alleged burglary and sexual assault in the 1990s.

He is accused of breaking into a Coolum unit on December 14, 1996, and sexually assaulting a 30-year-old woman while armed with a knife.

He has been charged with one count each of enter with intent, attempted rape, indecent assault, deprivation of liberty, armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and common assault aggravated assault.

Sunshine Coast CIB chief Daren Edwards said advances in technology meant they could revisit unsolved cases.

Exhibits taken from the scene of the crime in 1996 were sent to the John Tonge Centre for new testing.

We dont forget about them, he warned.

For the victims we do try and do what we can to bring them closure. I dont believe they actually get closure but it gives them something. For the victims it can be very hard bringing up things from the past.

Duty lawyer for the alleged perpetrator, Anna Smith, told the court today that the evidence against Mr Garland wasnt strong because of the length of time involved.

She told the court Mr Garland was not a flight risk because he had always turned up for scheduled hearings in the past.

See the rest here:
DNA evidence reopens rapist cold case