INFO:

Two men who remained in the community for six months after they allegedly gang raped a teenage girl in Sydney were under surveillance the entire time while police gathered evidence “to paint a full picture to the court”, investigators said. The pair, Adam Abdul-Hamid, 19, and an 18-year-old man, were charged on Tuesday with the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl at Liverpool, in December last year. Two teenage boys, aged 14 and 16, were arrested days after the alleged December 15 attack, and have remained in custody ever since. Boss of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said police needed time to work with the alleged victim, and to gather evidence, before the older men could be arrested. But she insisted there was never any risk to the community, as the two men were being closely monitored from the moment detectives were made aware of the alleged gang rape. She said detectives were confident they knew who all four men were soon after the alleged victim went to police, at 11.30 the night of the incident. “Community safety is always our highest priority, and immediately after the incident, strike force investigators put a number of strategies in place to closely monitor the alleged offenders and prevent opportunities for further offending before arrests could be made,” Det-Supt Doherty said. Police Minister Yasmin Catley described the alleged crime as “unimaginable and shocking” and declared that “men’s behaviour must change”. She praised the police work to bring about criminal charges. “I want to thank the tireless work of our police and the Sex Crimes Squad for their work. Because of their efforts, four people have been charged and are now before the courts,” Ms Catley said. Premier Chris Minns said those allegedly responsible for the “abhorrent” crime “must face the full force of the law”. Mr Minns said the alleged victim had undergone an “unimaginable ordeal,” while commending her bravery. “To that end, there is nothing more important here than getting justice for this young woman,“ he said.