Image: A 29-year-old man, now identified at Hayden Carl Skinner, was arrested in Coffs Harbour for assaulting an elderly woman. NSW Police
by GRACE JOHNSON
A 29-year-old-man has been charged with breaking into an aged care home and sexually assaulting one of its residents on New Year’s Eve.
The incident is the latest in an unfortunate string of assaults to occur in aged care homes recently, reaching a decade-high mark.
Recent data provided to the ABC reveals police are visiting an average of 12 aged care homes each day in NSW, with 901 assault incidents reported in NSW-based residential homes in 2022-23, compared to 318 in 2013-14.
In the early hours of New Year’s Day, around 2:30am, emergency services were called to an aged care home in Coffs Harbour following reports a 76-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted.
Police allege that the man broke into the home and entered the elderly woman’s room, wearing a stocking over his head as disguise.
Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty told reporters that the resident attempted to scream and struggle before the alleged assault, but that she was agile enough to kick the offender in the groin and scratch his face before escaping and alerting night staff of what had happened.
“The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for cuts and scratches and she is being supported by the home and her family,” Doherty said.
“She is currently not in hospital but being cared for by family. The woman has asked for privacy at this time.”
The state’s sex crimes squad took over the investigation from local police and a few days later, on the afternoon of Thursday 4 January, the 29-year-old man was arrested in Coffs Harbour. He was taken to the Coffs Harbour Police Station, where he was charged with break and enter and aggravated sexual assault.
He did not apply for bail during a brief appearance in the Port Macquarie local court on the morning of Friday 6 January.
The nursing home has reportedly hired more security staff to help residents feel more “safe”.
In an another unrelated incident, a man has been charged with several offences after allegedly assaulting three women at a hospital in southwestern Sydney.
An 80-year-old female patient at Lidcombe-Bankstown Hospital was assaulted by a 27-year-old man, also a patient. He reportedly punched her, then proceeded to choke her and hit her head against the wall. The woman remains in a critical condition.
The man also assaulted a 58-year-old and a 63-year-old woman.
He faces four charges: cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent, choke person intend to commit indictable offence, intentionally choke person with recklessness and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The maximum penalty for causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent in NSW is 25 years in prison.
In November last year, a 90-year-old woman was raped in her residential aged care home on the Central Coast, leading to her death.
