Man to face court after female jogger stabbed in daylight attack
A young woman’s worst nightmare was realised when she was stabbed three times in the back by an alleged sexual predator while out jogging in a public area, in a violent sexually-motivated attack.
Police & Courts
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A young female jogger stabbed three times in the back by a random alleged sexual predator said he stalked her prior to the horrific daylight attack.
The 21-year-old Tullamarine woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was jogging along a winding track near Primula Boulevard in Gowanbrae when her attacker crossed her path, giving her a “bad feeling” just after 10am on Thursday.
Speaking out about the violent sexually-motivated attack, the brave woman told the Herald Sun she first thought to run but decided she was safe as she could see a young family nearby.
Her worst nightmare was realised when he attacked her from behind after she turned a bend in the track.
“He grabbed me first and then I turned around and faced him and he stabbed me in the back,” she said.
The woman used her left hand to protect herself but the weapon sliced through her ring finger, leaving it “hanging from a thread”.
She screamed out for help and strangers ran to her aid as her assailant fled the scene.
Dimitri Evangelou, 18, from Gowanbrae, was charged over the attack and is facing seven offences including stalking, intent to commit sexual assault, assault with a weapon and intentionally causing serious injury.
Mr Evangelou lives a short distance from scene of the crime and was charged over another sexual assault on the path on April 7.
He made no application for bail during his brief Melbourne Magistrates’ Court hearing on Friday and will return to court on November 27.
His lawyers argued he would be vulnerable in prison due to his age and appearance and that he had never been in custody before.
His arrest on Thursday evening came after police arrested the wrong suspect – a man aged in his 20s who was released without charge.
The woman said she had seen “evil” and warned other women to always trust their intuition.
“I had a sick feeling in my stomach and chose to ignore it. Every woman would have had this feeling before,” she said.
“If you have intuition about a situation, trust it. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Ironically the woman said she regularly jogs along the path because it feels safe to her.
With her alleged attacked behind bars, she said she will not hesitate to exercise there again once she recovers.
“The incident did not in any way make me fearful of the area, I know it’s so safe and I’ll be walking there in no time,” she said.
The woman underwent plastic surgery on her hand at the Royal Melbourne Hospital on Friday and is expected to make a full recovery.
She said she was lucky the stab wounds did not puncture any vital organs, such as her lungs.
She added there was no amount of thanks she could give to the residents who responded to her cries of help.
She also thanked loved ones including her church community for their support.
“I know this could have been so much worse and I am so grateful to be alive and okay,” she said.
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