SA Youth Court told evidence including a trail of blood ties 16-year-old boy to the attempted rape of a woman, 90

Secrecy surrounding a 16-year-old boy who allegedly tried to rape an elderly woman has finally been lifted – revealing the blood trail tying him to the charge.

A trail of blood from a broken window to a discarded pair of tracksuit bottoms and underpants ties a teenager to the attempted rape of a then 90-year-old woman, a court has heard.

After months of hearings closed to the public and media, details of the case against a boy, 16, finally emerged in the Youth Court on Wednesday.

Counsel for the boy asked he be released from his strict, electronically-monitored home detention conditions, saying they posed an “unacceptable risk of institutionalisation”.

Prosecutors, however, said that was far less significant than the risk posed, by the boy, to those living near his bail address – which is suppressed.

“He is currently residing in (a regional town) that has a large population of more elderly persons … there’s a risk to the community, given the nature of the offending,” they said.

“The first forensic results have just been returned … blood found both outside and inside the victim’s home has been matched to the youth.

“The blood trailed from a broken window, onto the laundry floor and to the victim’s bedroom, where a pair of tracksuit pants and underpants were left by her door.

“There are still forensic results pending in respect of potential semen located in the victim’s bed.”

The teenager was arrested in July and accused of breaking into the home of, and attempting to rape, the woman – now 91 – while she slept.

The boy’s case has been heard behind closed doors in the Youth Court since his arrest.

He was subsequently granted home detention bail by the court, which closed the hearing to the media over concerns the evidence may “embarrass” him.

On Wednesday, counsel for the boy said their client had complied with his home detention conditions, re-engaged with his schoolwork and was in “a positive place” overall.

They argued he should be allowed to leave his home freely during the day, be subject to a curfew at night and be electronically monitored at all times.

“Currently, home detention is not a burden on his mental health, nor is it causing dire issues – however, that second forensic report is not due until December,” they said.

“Keeping him on home detention for that incredibly long period creates an unacceptable risk institutionalisation that should otherwise be avoided.”

Magistrate Oliver Koehn disagreed.

“This is an extremely serious matter and the evidence that’s emerging seems to support the prosecution’s allegations,” he said.

“There is a need to ensure not only the community is protected, but that the community perceives there is suffient protection … that outweighs defence counsel’s submissions.”

He remanded the boy on his existing home detention bail to face court again next month.