Brunswick woman, 69, left traumatised after man grabs her in bear hug in daylight attack

A Brunswick woman has spoken of her terror as she was grabbed by an assailant and forced against a garage door in a chilling daylight incident police fear is a precursor to a worse crime.

Jan at the site in Edmends St, Brunswick where she was assaulted on July 10. Picture: Josh Barnes

A man who assaulted a 69-year-old woman in broad daylight in Brunswick could be capable of more serious attacks if not caught, according to police.

The man, believed to be in his teens, grabbed Brunswick resident Jan in a bear hug and pushed her into a garage door about 10.15am on July 10.

Jan said she was walking to the Brunswick Library when she was grabbed in Edmends St, after her attacker stopped her to ask for the time.

“It was quick, he had me up against the garage door before I knew what was going on,” she said.

“I couldn’t move and I felt like I was being crushed he was holding me so tightly.”

The mother of one told the offender twice to let her go, before threatening to scream.

She then walked to Brunswick police station on Sydney Rd to report the crime.

“I said ‘I’m going to scream’ and I opened my mouth and that’s when it was all over really,” she said.

“He wanted to know what team I barracked for and then he just ran down (a nearby laneway).”

Brunswick police Sergeant Sean Nicholson said the attack could be a stepping stone for the offender.

“There was no demand for her purse or money — behaviour like that at that time of the day in the morning is concerning because it’s in broad daylight and quite a busy area,” he said.

“I think there are enough indications there to raise concerns about this type of assault maybe leading to something further, so the sooner we’re able to identify the person the better.”

The man was described as being about 165cm tall, with short, dark curly hair, of southern European appearance and was wearing distinctive round, dark rimmed glasses at the time.

“I would suspect that the offender is more than likely a local resident,” Sgt Nicholson said.

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“Given the age of what the victim has described, we’re certainly hopeful that parents of members of his family will recognise that this is him.”

Jan said she suffered a minor back injury but wasn’t afraid to continue walking around Brunswick, where she has lived her whole life.

“I’ll just stick to Sydney Rd and Lygon St, it hasn’t made me scared that I don’t want to go out,” she said.

No witnesses have come forward and anybody with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.