Shane Huici pleads guilty to attempted rape of elderly woman

A trial has been vacated for a St Albans Park man previously charged with raping an elderly woman at an aged care centre, after he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted rape.

Shane Huici has pleaded guilty to attempted rape

A St Albans Park man has pleaded guilty to the attempted rape of an elderly woman at an aged care centre.

Shane Huici, 25 was previously charged with raping the elderly woman and was due to stand trial next week.

Huici instead entered pleas of guilty in the County Court in Melbourne to the lesser charge of attempted rape, as well as aggravated burglary, causing injury recklessly and theft.

According to court documents Huici entered Tannoch Brae Aged Care in St Albans Park as a trespasser and attempted to orally rape the 90-year-old woman on August 15, 2021.

The documents also state Huici, without lawful excuse, recklessly caused injury to the victim and also stole two keys belonging to the centre.

Huici, who was sporting a white shirt and a buzz cut, entered pleas of guilty via video link on Friday.

Huici, who previously entered not guilty pleas to the more serious charge of rape, will now no longer have to stand trial.

During a committal in January 2022, police alleged the forklift driver climbed into the facility through an unlocked window and raped the woman in her bed in the early hours of August 15, 2021.

At that time, the court heard the woman allegedly woke to find Mr Huici pinning her to the bed before managing to activate a duress alarm to alert staff.

She was taken to hospital following the incident with injuries including a tear to her forearm and several cuts to her lip.

The former factory worker will appear in court next year on April 3 for a plea hearing where the facts of the offence will be read out.

Originally published as Shane Huici pleads guilty to attempted rape of elderly woman