Man charged over alleged Brunswick sexual assault
A man has been charged over an alleged ‘brazen’ sexual assault on a busy road in Melbourne, that occurred just metres from where Jill Meagher was taken almost a decade ago.
A man has been charged over an alleged sexual assault in the middle of a busy road in Melbourne’s inner north.
The arrest comes just days after police and the victim made a public appeal for information over the incident that occurred on Sydney Road, Brunswick on February 7 this year.
The Melbourne woman, 30, described how a man who allegedly sexually assaulted her was “so close she could have touched him” in the terrifying lead-up to the attack just metres from where Jill Meagher was taken almost a decade ago.
A 27-year old Pascoe Vale man has been charged with stalking and sexual assault and is expected to face court on Sunday.
The woman, known as Sarah, was walking along Sydney Road towards the city when she noticed a man following her about 6.20am on February 7.
She says the man was wearing a hoodie and a face mask.
Police allege Sarah was followed along Sydney Road for about 1km between Albert and Glenlyon roads – metres from where Adrian Earnest Bayley raped and murdered Jill Meagher in September 2012.
The woman was on her way to meet a friend when she became aware of the man, who echoed her walking pace.
The man then walked next to her for 100m but didn’t say anything before he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
“He was right next to me, I could have touched him,” she said.
“I felt uncomfortable about that and I was trying to walk faster to get away from him and looking straight ahead; I didn’t want to look at him or engage him.”
The man fled down Merri Street after she screamed at him.
Police alleged the “brazen attack” was deliberate during their public appeal for information on Thursday.
“It’s happened at dawn … it’s a brazen attack on a busy street in Melbourne where businesses are open,” Detective Senior Constable Diane Jeffries said.
“Sarah’s told me she walked that way because she felt safe on that street and that’s not what has occurred on this occasion.”
The man was expected to face Melbourne’s Magistrates Court on Sunday morning.
Grim scenes in quiet residential street
A usually quiet residential street has been cordoned off by forensic officers after a tragic and grisly discovery was made in the search for the missing 23-year-old.
Cops probe ‘unlawful’ assault of 17yo on bus
Police have released an artist’s impression of a man wanted for questioning over the alleged assault of a teenage girl on a bus.
Inside state’s new toughest prison
The massive new facility is ready to receive inmates, and transfers will start as early as next week.