Keith Simms, otherwise referred to as the ‘Beast of Bondi’, has finally been identified using cutting edge DNA technology.
DNA technology has successfully linked Simms to a dozen confirmed sexual assaults around the Bondi beach area. Dressed in black and carrying a knife, Simms would break into the homes of vulnerable women and girls and attack them. After decades of terrorising women in east Sydney, the revelation has come with some mixed emotions.
Unfortunately, the positive identification of Keith Simms has arrived 9 months too late as he had already passed away due to kidney failure. While Simms will never be brought to justice, citizens of Australia can certainly feel reassured that he is no longer among them.
The Bondi Beast
Over the years, New South Wales police undertook over 30 investigations to try and unearth this monstrous individual. The breakthrough eventually arrived in 2016 when DNA samples taken from rape scenes (some dating back 40 years) were linked to a male relative of Simms. This allowed officers to create a ‘family tree’ of 324 males knowing one of them had to be the Beast of Bondi.
Through the dedicated hard work over the last six years of the sex crimes squad, we were able to then bring that link down to a single person and identify the contributor of that DNA.
No two people share the same DNA, and that’s why we’ve been able to come back to this one person.
Commander of the sex crime squad, Jayne Doherty
Although it is incredibly disappointing Simms cannot be brought to justice, Doherty wanted to ensure victims are aware he’s been identified to prevent them from walking down the street and wondering: ‘is that him?’ Doherty also emphasises the importance of physical evidence in the role of DNA technology:
It is so important for victims/survivors to come forward at the time to preserve physical evidence even if you can’t face a court matter at this time, later down the track we may be able to use it in investigations as well.
Image Source:
- Photo of the Bondi beast: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11449379/Sydney-Beast-Bondi-serial-rapist-identified-DNA-decades-attacks-began.html
- The Beast of Bondi: Instant images
