Man, 22, arrested after alleged rape in Alice Springs home

An Alice Springs woman has suffered a horrifying assault by a strange man who broke into her bedroom while she was sleeping, police allege.

A man will face court after allegedly breaking into a woman’s Alice Springs home and raping her while she slept.

Police have arrested a 22-year-old man who allegedly broke into a sleeping woman’s bedroom and raped her before fleeing the scene when her screams alerted other residents of the Alice Springs home.

Two people remain on the run after the alleged incident on Saturday night, which police described as “significant” “terrible” and “upsetting”.

At 10.17pm police received a call with allegations a 29-year-old woman was being sexually assaulted by a stranger.

The alleged rapist fled the scene after being discovered in the woman’s room.

A crime scene was quickly established, and officers stopped the alleged offender in a car on Gap Rd.

He fled on foot, and was arrested on a side street at 10.39pm.

“We were able to obtain a detailed description, and within 22 minutes of the report being made, the offender was arrested,” Assistant Commissioner Michael White said.

“Our thoughts are with the victim, who obviously suffered harm, both physical and mentally.

“It’s a very significant event … and we certainly have done everything we can to resolve it as quickly as possible.”

‘Community in shock’: NT Police Assistant Commissioner Michael White. Picture: Alex Treacy

The 22-year-old has since been charged with two counts of rape, gross indecency without consent, aggravated burglary, being armed with an offensive weapon and traffic offences.

Two other men who were in the getaway car are yet to be identified.

“He (the 22-year-old) fled from the car, so our focus was on chasing that person down, so he was apprehended away from the car. I don’t have any further detail at this stage about what happened to the other occupants,” Mr White said.

Mr White said that while alleged incidents of women being sexually assaulted by strangers were “very rare”, they caused “significant shock to the community”.

“For me, it’s certainly upset me in the sense of this being a very unique event, and the harm that’s caused by it – all of us, as a community, feel such events.”

The alleged offender is in custody and due to appear in Alice Springs Local Court on Wednesday.

Police are calling for witnesses to come forward.

“Anyone who has information in relation to this terrible event, please come forward and contact police on 131 444, or Crimestoppers,” Mr White said.