Newcastle, Australia – A serial rapist who brutally assaulted a young woman in 1995 as she walked home from work has been sentenced to a decade behind bars but may be eligible for parole as soon as next year.
Peter Bratic, the culprit in this horrifying crime, admitted in court earlier this year to sexually and indecently attacking an 18-year-old woman in Newcastle over two decades ago. Thanks to advancements in forensic technology, his DNA was finally linked to the case. Today, he was handed a 10-year and six-month sentence, with a possibility of parole after serving seven years.
The court revealed that Bratic, who was 27 at the time of the assault, had a history of sexual offenses, including a violent attack on a 14-year-old girl. Despite already serving time for previous crimes in Queensland and Victoria, his DNA from the Newcastle case was traced to him while he was incarcerated in Victoria, leading to his extradition to New South Wales.
During sentencing, Judge Peter Whitford described Bratic’s actions as overpowering and violent, highlighting how he physically restrained the victim by applying pressure to her neck to silence her cries. The victim managed to escape only after striking Bratic in the face and fleeing the scene.
Judge Whitford expressed serious concerns about Bratic’s likelihood of re-offending, emphasizing the need for extensive supervision upon his release. The victim had reported the assault to the authorities, but the case remained unsolved for nearly two decades until detectives obtained a DNA sample from Bratic while he was in prison.
Bratic’s pattern of attacking vulnerable victims opportunistically was a key point during the court proceedings, underscoring the necessity of ongoing monitoring post-release. The judge’s cautious approach towards assessing Bratic’s risk of repeating such heinous acts further illuminated the severity of the situation.