Man refused bail over sexual assault charge
A MAN has been refused bail and ordered to reappear in Armidale Local Court after being charged with breaking into an elderly woman’s house and sexually assaulting her on Sunday morning.
The 30-year-old man is charged with four counts of aggravated break and enter and committing a seriously indictable offence after his arrest at the woman’s Armidale home about 6am on Sunday.
Police allege the man was affected by alcohol when he entered the house through an unlocked back door and sexually assaulted the 62-year-old woman before falling asleep.
The woman was able to run outside her home and alert a passer-by, who contacted police.
General duties police arrived, arrested the man and established a crime scene.
New England Local Area Command Detective acting Sergeant Mark Rogers said the woman did not know her alleged attacker.
He described the incident as “a disturbing act that left the victim quite traumatised” and alleged it was sexually motivated, as nothing was stolen from the home.
“She (the victim) is quite upset in relation to the incident,” Sergeant Rogers said.
In the Armidale Local Court yesterday the man was refused bail. He was remanded to reappear in the same court on October 17.
