Mother's shock

A man who allegedly groped a woman after breaking into and stealing from her Yamba home yesterday morning has been refused bail.

By Toby Walker

A man who allegedly groped a woman after breaking into and stealing from her Yamba home yesterday morning has been refused bail.

Rodney Currie, 24, of Yamba, remained in custody last night after being charged on two counts of aggravated breaking and entering, one charge of indecent assault and one count of larceny.

According to a police incident report lodged in court documents for the bail hearing, Currie is alleged to have entered the woman's Boronia Crescent address around 5.30am.

The woman, who was asleep on her lounge with her infant son, had awakened to see Currie leaning over her.

She had asked him who he was and what he was doing in her house, before getting up and walking towards her front door in an attempt to get Currie to follow her.

Currie had followed the woman out onto the driveway, at which point he allegedly grabbed her from behind, before groping her and putting his hand down her pants. The woman had struggled free from his grasp and ran back into the house, locking herself inside. Currie is alleged to have ridden off on a bike parked out the front, a bike he later allegedly admitted to stealing.

Soon after the incident, the woman had discovered her purse missing and called police.

Police arrived to take a statement and a description of the accused.

Later that morning, police spotted Currie travelling as a passenger in a car. He was dressed in clothing similar to that described by the woman.

Currie was taken to Yamba Police Station and interviewed, where he is alleged to have made certain admissions about the break-in. He denied outright the allegation of indecent assault.

Originally published as Mother's shock