Oswald Lovegrove sentenced to limiting term for indecently assaulting 94-year-old woman

An elderly woman bravely fended off an attacker with a walking stick after he broke into her home and indecently assaulted her.

An elderly woman had to fend off an attacker with a walking stick after he broke into her home and propositioned her for sex.

Oswald Ozzie Lovegrove, 27, was found mentally unfit to stand trial but is still considered a significant risk of sexual reoffending.

During sentencing, the District Court heard the 94-year-old victim was at her inner northern suburbs home on February 22, 2020.

She answered the door to Lovegrove who pushed past her and walked into the lounge room.

“You propositioned her for sex,” Judge Anthony Allen said.

“Your advances were clearly and stridently rebuffed.”

Oswald Lovegrove was sentenced to a limiting term for indecently assaulting a 94-year-old woman at Bowden. Photo: iStock

Lovegrove grabbed her from behind and the victim lost hold of her walker and fell to the floor.

“At this time you pulled your victim onto your lap and began thrusting your hips up and down,” Judge Allen said.

“The victim described you as pushing your groin against her backside.”

The court heard the victim hit Lovegrove with her walking stick which caused him to stop and he left the premises.

The victim called police and Lovegrove was identified after DNA matched him to clothing worn by the victim.

“It is a troubling aspect to this matter that when arrested you spoke with one of the investigating police stating ‘I hear voices and they make me horny’,” Judge Allen said.

“You made further remarks to the effect of ‘I can’t control myself when I hear the voices’.”

Lovegrove, of Bowden, was found not guilty by way of mental incompetence of serious criminal trespass and indecent assault.

The court heard the victim, who is now deceased, was a beloved member of the community and was recognised by an Order of Australia medal in 2014.

The court heard Lovegrove was diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia and remained at significant further risk of sexual offending.

“In essence, this means that you need someone to keep a watch over you to ensure that you do not offend against members of the community again,” Judge Allen said.

Judge Allen imposed a limiting term of six years and six months – a period equal to the prison sentence a well offender would have received for the same offence.

The sentence was backdated to November 25.