It’s the kind of story that chills you to the bone—an elderly grandmother, brutally attacked in her own home not once, but twice, and now, more than 40 years later, the man accused of those horrifying crimes has walked free on bail.
Michael Martin, 69, stood silent as he left the court on Thursday, dodging questions from reporters. This comes after a Melbourne magistrate granted the Australian bail despite accusations of attempted rape, aggravated burglary, and assault stemming from two alleged attacks on Jessie Grace Lauder, an elderly grandmother, in the early 1980s.
What happened to Jessie?
The first alleged attack occurred in September 1981 when Jessie, living in her Newport home in Melbourne, heard a loud bang at the back of her house.
Moments later, she found Martin standing in her bedroom doorway, holding a knife and wearing gloves with a pair of underwear over his head, according to Detective Richard Kelly from sexual crimes squad in Melbourne.
Jessie’s nightmare didn’t end there. Martin allegedly demanded $10 for sex and tried to rape her, fleeing only after threatening her not to call the police.
He allegedly said, ”You won’t call police will you.”
In July 1983, Jessie’s world was shattered again. According to Detective Kelly, Jessie woke to the sound of breaking glass, only to find herself face-to-face with her attacker once more. This time, the man allegedly raped her, threatened her life, and warned her to keep silent, even throwing a newspaper over her face before fleeing.
“Don’t tell the police and papers like you did last time,” he allegedly said.
DNA evidence leads to arrest
For decades, Jessie’s family lived without justice. But in 2022, advancements in DNA technology linked evidence from the two attacks to Martin. Police made the arrest on January 24 of this year, nearly 42 years after the first assault.
A shocking bail decision
Despite the severity of the allegations, Magistrate Belinda Wallington granted Martin bail, citing a lack of evidence that he posed an “unacceptable risk” to the community or would interfere with witnesses.
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“There is no basis for the assertion,” Ms. Wallington stated, adding, “I am persuaded there is a compelling reason to grant bail in this matter.”
The decision left many stunned, especially considering the horrifying details of the alleged crimes.
Living across the street
Adding another disturbing layer to the case, Martin reportedly grew up just 45 meters from Jessie’s home and later moved only 200 meters away after marrying. For Jessie, the attacks came from someone who had lived so close to her for years—a grim reminder that sometimes danger lurks far too close to home.
A long-awaited fight for justice
Martin now faces charges of attempted aggravated rape, aggravated burglary, rape, and common assault. He now resides in Melbourne’s western suburbs and is due back in court in April.
As for Jessie’s family, they’re left waiting, hoping for justice after decades of pain.
This case has sparked outrage and questions about how our justice system handles such severe allegations.
How can someone accused of such heinous crimes walk free while victims and their families are forced to live with the trauma for decades?
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