Man, 29, arrested, charged after alleged Coffs Harbour aged care sex assault on 76yo woman

Police have praised an ‘agile’ and brave woman who kicked and scratched a masked man after he allegedly sexually assaulted her in her room of a northern NSW nursing home on New Year’s Day. See the footage of his dramatic arrest.

A courageous 76-year-old woman kicked and scratched a masked man who allegedly broke into her nursing home room at Coffs Harbour and sexually assaulted her on New Year’s Day.

About 2.30am on Monday, emergency services were called to an aged care centre at Coffs Harbour following reports a woman had been sexually assaulted.

State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad commander Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty told media on Friday the man – who can be identified as 29-year-old Hayden Skinner – allegedly broke into the centre, placed a stocking over his face before he entered the woman’s room through a courtyard, prompting her to scream before she was pinned to the bed.

Supt Doherty told the media police alleged Skinner put his hand over the woman’s mouth to stop her screaming.

She continued to struggle before the man allegedly removed her underwear and assaulted her.

“Police will further allege the woman was agile enough to kick this male in the groin and scratch at his face,’’ Supt Doherty said.

“As a result of that he moved back and the woman managed to get to her feet and run to an internal door to where night staff were working.

“Usually people in nursing homes are very fragile – and while she has health issues – we were very lucky in this instance that she was agile enough and cohesive enough to be able to give us a very good statement and to be able to try and defend herself, which reduced the amount of time he had to commit this (alleged) offence.’’

Hayden Skinner has been charged with the sexual assault of a 76-year-old woman at an aged care centre at Coffs Harbour. Picture: Facebook

Police allege Skinner ran from the room, out a door through a courtyard where another resident having a cigarette saw him, before he fled over fences.

The woman was taken to hospital and is recovering with family.

“Physically she has bruises and scratches,’’ Supt Doherty said. “She’s well supported by family but as you can understand an (alleged) attack like this in the security of your own bed is very difficult to come to terms with.’’

Local police initially launched an investigation before it was taken over by the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad under Strike Force Coolong.

“We have been working extensively with fingerprints, forensics, investigators and the (alleged) victim to be able to piece together this and identify this male,’’ Supt Doherty said.

Skinner was arrested on Thursday at 2.30pm in Coffs Harbour.

Hayden Skinner was taken into custody after allegedly sexually assaulting an elderly woman at a Coffs Harbour aged care facility. Picture: NSW Police

Detectives arrested him on Thursday. Picture: NSW Police

He was taken to Coffs Harbour police station where he was charged with aggravated sex assault- break and enter with intent.

He was refused bail and appeared at Port Macquarie Local Court on Friday.

Skinner did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

The matter will return to Coffs Harbour Court on Monday.

Supt Doherty described the alleged incident as horrendous.

“An attack on a person in the safety of their home in their own bed is horrendous anyway but to (allegedly) break into a nursing home you are only going to find vulnerable people living there so it beggars belief that someone would do this.’’

Supt Doherty said the man did not know the woman and the alleged attack was not targeted.

Police also ruled out any link between this alleged attack and the alleged rape of a 90-year-old woman at a nursing home on the Central Coast in November.

The woman died two weeks after that alleged incident.

Coffs-Clarence police have conducted security assessments of the Coffs Harbour nursing home and other local aged care centres this week.

“The nursing homes have to balance the right of their residents and their right to come and go freely with their safety so all residential care homes work with families and their residents to ensure their people are kept as safe as possible,’’ Supt Doherty said.

Originally published as Man, 29, arrested, charged after alleged Coffs Harbour aged care sex assault on 76yo woman