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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Detectives charge Warren John McCorriston over 1980s alleged abduction

Warren John McCorriston.

WARREN John McCorriston has been charged with allegations stemming from the 1980s amid a police investigation into the suspected murders of three Lake Macquarie teenagers.

Strike Force Arapaima was launched in April 2019 to re-examine the unsolved disappearances and suspected killings of Robyn Hickie, Amanda Robinson, and Gordana Kotevski.

Information uncovered during that investigation led detectives to arrest a 62-year-old man at a government facility at Silverwater on Monday, January 15 - Warren John McCorriston.

Robyn Hickie
Amanda Robinson
Robyn Hickie
Amanda Robinson
Robyn Hickie

He has been charged with four offences, alleged to have occurred in the Gateshead area involving a girl who was 16 years old at the time.

He faces allegations of forcible abduction of a woman with intent to carnally knowledge; threatening injury to a person with intent to commit an indictable offence; assault occasioning actual bodily harm; and detain for advantage, causing injury to victim.

McCorriston is expected to front Newcastle Local Court for the first time on March 13.

Investigations by Strike Force Arapaima continue.

Strike Force Arapaima searched the former Camp Kanangra site at Nords Wharf in August 2021.

It's been more than two-and-a-half years since investigators spent the day combing an old Lake Macquarie scout campground after police uncovered information they believe strongly linked the site to the disappearances of Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson.

An excavator and officers from Operation Utah and Strike Force Arapaima searched the former Camp Kanangra site at Nords Wharf in August 2021.

NSW Police and the NSW government announced earlier that same week two $1 million rewards - one each in the two unsolved missing person cases.

Ms Hickie was 18 years old when she was last seen on the Pacific Highway at Belmont at about 7.15pm on April 7, 1979.

A fortnight later, on April 21, 14-year-old Amanda vanished after attending a dance at a high school in Gateshead - she was last seen on Lake Road at Swansea.

Gordana Kotevksi, 16, was snatched from a suburban Charlestown street in 1994.

  • Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
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