DNA from urine sample could have ‘significance’ in sex assault case: court

A man allegedly urinated in a bucket after sexually assaulting an 84 year-old woman this week. Now, a court has heard, it could be key to the case.

Faisal Siddiqi has been charged with sexually assaulting an 84-year-old woman.

A man accused of helping an elderly woman with her shopping before allegedly sexually assaulting her has indicated he will fight the charges, as police await forensic analysis of DNA found at the scene.

Fairfield resident Faisal Siddiqi, 41, applied for bail at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday after he was charged with sexual intercourse without consent and common assault on Friday following the attack three days earlier.

The court heard the 84-year-old woman had received an offer from Siddiqi to carry her shopping home before he then “lured her into her own home” and allegedly forced himself on her.

Police prosecutors allege Siddiqi pushed the woman onto her bed and sexually assaulted her, before urinating in a nearby bucket and stealing her house keys before fleeing.

The court heard that prosecutors had CCTV footage related to the matter, a statement from a witness, and forensic evidence including DNA swabs taken from the woman’s body and the bucket Siddiqi urinated in.

Siddiqi allegedly assaulted the woman on April 15.

Police are expecting the DNA test results within the week.

But in his bail bid, Siddiqi, who the court heard was currently out on seven community corrections orders at the time of the alleged offence, denied any involvement in the assault.

His lawyer, Mariah Maltezos, told the court the Afghani national didn’t fit the initial description the victim gave to police.

“The identification provided by the complainant is not similar to the age or appearance of this applicant,” she said.

“On page 4 of the fact sheet the complainant describes the man as aged 20 to 30s, speaking Hindi and dark clothing.”

Ms Maltezos also stated a search warrant had been undertaken at Siddiqi’s Fairfield home during his arrest and the victim’s house keys he is alleged to have taken “were not found”.

Siddiqi’s legal representative claimed the 41 year-old did not match the woman’s description of her alleged attacker.

Magistrate Les Brennan said the DNA samples collected by police were part of a “very strong prosecution case” against Siddiqi, and refused his bail application, stating the alleged offence was “serious”.

“If convicted, he will get a lengthy jail sentence and there is a reasonable chance he won’t turn up if granted bail if the forensic results show it was him,” Mr Brennan said.

“On that basis I don’t propose to grant bail and bail is refused.”

No pleas have been entered yet and Siddiqi will remain in custody until the matter returns to Parramatta Local Court on June 19.

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