Man accused of robbing and sexually assaulting teenage girl at knifepoint in Lidcombe
A 37-year-old man has faced court after allegedly holding a 15-year-old girl at knifepoint, stealing her phone and raping her in a western Sydney car park in broad daylight.
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A man accused of pulling a knife on a teenage girl and stealing her phone before raping her in a carpark in broad daylight has a history of using weapons and approaching women at train stations, a court has heard.
Police allege Abdullah Allywa approached the 15-year-old girl at Lidcombe Railway Station, in Sydney’s west, on Sunday morning before the pair went to the nearby carpark.
There, the 37-year-old allegedly pulled out the blade and stole the iPhone 11.
“Police will allege the man then sexually assaulted and sexually touched the girl before she ran from the carpark,” NSW Police said in a statement.
Officers, who were called to the scene about 10am, established a crime scene and began an investigation.
The next day, they arrested Allywa at a home on Alice St in Newtown.
Allywa was remanded in custody when he faced Newtown Local Court on Tuesday, charged with the aggravated sexual assault of a victim under 16 and robbery armed with offensive weapon. He is yet to enter pleas.
In documents tendered to the court, police allege he knew the girl had not consented to sexual activity.
Allywa’s lawyer, Sharmila Jordan-Mee, told the court her client had instructed her he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had an intellectual disability, which would make him “particularly vulnerable” if he remained in custody rather than in the community, where he would continue to see a psychiatrist fortnightly.
She added Allywa needed to care for multiple family members, including a father and sister with cancer.
Ms Jordan-Mee said her client was willing not to go back to Lidcombe and abide by strict bail conditions.
She said there was “no reason (Allywa) would encounter” the alleged victim because they did not know each other.
However, the police prosecutor said Allywa’s previous convictions included offences relating to victims who were “unknown” to him and his potential release would be a risk to the “community in general”.
The prosecutor submitted that Allywa had a history of using weapons and seemed to have “little regard for public safety”.
She added that he was a “dangerous offender to have in the community”, having previously approached a woman at a train station with scissors.
The prosecutor said Allywa had also previously approached a man with a knife and asked him to “suck his c--k” in an encounter that had a “sexual overtone”.
She also said Allywa was likely to be sentenced to a lengthy period in custody if convicted.
Magistrate Alexander Mijovich ultimately denied Allywa bail, noting his “lengthy criminal history” and describing the prosecution case as strong.
“The protection of the community of course (is) paramount,” he said.
The matter is due to return to court in April.
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Originally published as Man accused of robbing and sexually assaulting teenage girl at knifepoint in Lidcombe
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