<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A magistrate has dismissed a rape charge against a man accused of murdering two women almost half a century ago as there was insufficient evidence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Perry Kouroumblis was today committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court on two counts of murder over the January 1977 Easey Street killing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Magistrate Brett Sonnet found there was evidence of a sufficient weight to commit him to stand trial before a jury on the two most serious charges.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-storms-severe-weather-damaging-winds-large-hail-sydney/527cdd97-b529-44e5-adac-97b7ab338aad" target="_blank"><strong><span>Severe thunderstorms across NSW cause public transport delays</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/why-did-she-take-innocent-children-hakyung-lee-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-for-double-murders/de19fd0f-3465-4fc3-a32b-648778389d45" target="_blank"><strong><span>NZ mum handed life in prison for murdering her children</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kouroumblis pleaded "not guilty" to the two charges, as he sat in the court dock flanked by custody officers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 66-year-old is accused of stabbing Suzanne Armstrong, 28, and Susan Bartlett, 27, and prosecutors further alleged he had raped Armstrong before the murders. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/accused-easey-street-killers-rape-charge-struck-out-as-he-is-committed-to-stand-trial-on-two-counts-of-murder/bbd96e51-b5d3-4504-8fc6-a8b32040c6ae" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The two housemates were found dead inside their home on Easey Street in Melbourne's inner suburb of Collingwood on January 13, 1977, by their neighbours.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Armstrong's screaming toddler could be heard by the two women living next door.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kouroumblis was aged 17 at the time and police also claimed he had "carnal knowledge with Suzanne Armstrong without her consent".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That charge, from the 1970s, would now be known as rape.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-airport-two-women-charged-after-33-million-illegal-find-in-their-suitcases/a18a655f-f1e9-4d7c-b106-bbd42089043b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Two young women facing life in prison over $33 million find in their suitcases</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, Sonnet found there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction on that charge as a homicide detective had told the committal hearing Armstrong appeared to have been raped after she was killed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Former detective Adrian Donehue, one of the first on the scene in 1977, said in October "she was in a classic pose you would expect to see for post-mortem rape, in my view".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prosecutors today argued to keep the pre-death rape charge in for a jury to decide, but the defence said the charge could not be proven on the evidence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sonnet agreed and struck out the rape charge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kouroumblis will remain in custody and returns to the Supreme Court on December 17 for a directions hearing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div>