‘Thought he was going to kill me’: Alleged 12-minute rape at nursing home
A court has heard how a 76-year-old nursing home resident was allegedly pinned down and raped by a masked intruder who jumped the facility's fence.
Warning: Graphic content
A 76-year-old woman was left bleeding and bruised after she was allegedly “pinned down” and raped during a horrific 12-minute ordeal at an aged care facility, a court has heard.
Coffs Harbour man Hayden Carl Skinner, 31, faced the NSW District Court for the first day of his trial on Monday after allegedly raping a woman inside her nursing home room just after 2am on New Year’s Day last year.
The court heard from a nurse who worked at the nursing home, who was called to the woman’s room after the alleged rape.
He said she found the woman “frantically screaming” in the hallway with no pants on.
“She was screaming and very distressed. It’s not normal or usual for her to be walking in the hallways at the time, or half naked,” the worker told the court.
“When she saw me, because we have a good relationship, she directly ran towards my direction and grabbed my arm.
“She told me there was a man who came inside her room and raped her.”
The nurse said the woman told him the person was a “big” and “well-built” man who was wearing a stocking over his face and a hoodie.
“She said, I tried to scream, but I couldn’t because he was covering my mouth. I was trying to reach for the [alert] buzzer, but he kept pushing my hand away,” the worker said.
The court heard how Mr Skinner had jumped a fence and crossed a courtyard before entering the woman’s sliding door.
“She said I forgot to lock the door, it’s my fault. I’m very sorry, it is my fault,” the staff member told the court.
A paramedic who was called to the scene also gave evidence on Monday.
She said the alleged victim told her a “large, male figure” had entered her room and climbed onto her bed.
“She said she started to scuffle and fight him before he placed his elbow over her breast and over her face,” she said.
“He began removing her pants and underwear to her knees … she attempted to scratch at his face, but because of the stocking [over his face] she was unable to do so.”
The woman has since died from unrelated causes.
The court heard that CCTV had captured a “figure” arriving at the centre at 2.18am before leaving at 2.30am.
The court heard how police found the 31-year-old’s palm prints at the scene, which were confirmed with DNA testing.
He was arrested on January 4, 2024 and charged with aggravated sexual assault and break and enter with intent. He has been in custody since his arrest.
Mr Skinner admits he broke into the 76-year-old’s unit but has pleaded not guilty to aggravated sexual assault.
Public defender Peter Pearsall argued his client had a “drug debt” which is why he broke into the woman’s unit, as he was searching for valuables in her room.
Woman’s son gives evidence
The court also heard from the alleged victim’s son, who told the court he received a call from the nursing home’s manager about 3.30am.
The son and his wife drove to the nursing home before travelling to the hospital.
He told the court when he got to the hospital his mother was “distressed”.
“We were crying a lot and there was a lot of emotion,” he told the court.
“She said it was horrible, I thought he was going to kill me.”
The alleged victim’s daughter-in-law told the court how the woman had accidentally left her sliding door unlocked, as she had been watching a storm that night.
“She said it was New Year’s Eve and she had gone out to the courtyard to enjoy watching the storm,” she told the court.
Earlier police search
Police bodycam footage was played to the court of two officers stopping Mr Skinner for a search about five hours before the incident, after he was found “wandering” through traffic.
The footage showed police finding needles and a small ziplock bag in Mr Skinner’s pockets which they believed to contain drugs.
“You’re clearly under the effect of something,” one of the officers told Mr Skinner in the footage.
Mr Skinner was issued a move-on order, and police seized the needles and suspected drugs.
“Stay off the road mate, please,” one of the officers tells Mr Skinner.
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Originally published as ‘Thought he was going to kill me’: Alleged 12-minute rape at nursing home
