A 31-year-old man has been found guilty of breaking into an aged care home and raping an elderly woman in her bed, before fleeing and leaving her screaming for help in the hallway.
Hayden Carl Skinner scaled the fence of a Coffs Harbour aged care home on the NSW North Coast in the early hours of New Year’s Day last year, opened an unlocked door and raped a 76-year-old woman, a judge has ruled.
Hayden Carl Skinner has faced trial, accused of sexually assaulting a 76-year-old aged care home resident.Credit: Facebook
On Wednesday, Judge Michael McHugh, SC, convicted Skinner of rape, following a judge-alone NSW District Court trial.
“There is no other rational inference, in my view, other than that he intended to sexually assault [the victim],” McHugh said.
“On her evidence, he immediately came in, swung her around and started seeking to sexually assault her, and pulling her legs apart.”
Crown Prosecutor Brendan Campbell, SC, argued Skinner removed the woman’s pants before sexually assaulting her and running out of the room. The court heard his DNA was found on her pants, labia and under her fingernails.
A nurse who was working at the time testified that he found the distressed woman half-undressed, “screaming frantically” for help and holding the doorknob of her neighbour’s room after she buzzed for help. He said she told him a masked man had raped her, and told him she was “very sorry; it’s my fault – I forgot to lock the door”.
Skinner’s alleged attack happened in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2024.Credit: NSW Police
The nurse called Triple Zero and the woman was taken to hospital with bruises to her inner thighs. Much of the evidence relied on statements she provided to police. She has since died in unrelated circumstances.
Skinner was not required to testify, but chose to do so.
He did not deny entering the home, but said he was looking to steal valuables to feed his drug addiction and debt when he opened the woman’s door.
He said he crawled on his hands and knees while the 76-year-old slept. She woke up and threatened him, asking “who the hell” he thought he was, he claimed.
Skinner alleged that as he stood up to flee, she grabbed him by the shirt and said he was “not getting away with this”, before falling backwards and pulling him down with her.
“I caught her and shifted the way she fell toward the bed, so she didn’t fall onto any drawers and hurt herself,” Skinner said, adding that a struggle ensued as the woman held him in a “bear hug”.
After partially freeing himself, the woman grabbed him by the genitals, took hold of his hair and wrapped her legs around his waist, he testified.
He said he grabbed her by the inner thighs to push them apart and free himself, before running away. He told public defender Peter Pearsall he did not attempt to have sex with her.
Skinner argued he went to the home to steal valuables and did not attack the woman.Credit: Facebook
Pearsall argued the victim was not truthful or credible.
McHugh accepted there was “some evidence the complainant had a motive to lie”, and that her testimony may have been affected by a “racial undertone”, age, and recent bouts of confusion.
He noted the “number of odd statements that could amount to prejudice,” including describing Skinner as “very, very black” and not wanting to enter a police station when another person described as black was there.
It was accepted that she incorrectly described certain body parts, gave conflicting details and claimed that her intruder was clean-shaven and wore jeans, when CCTV showed a bearded Skinner in board shorts near the time of the incident.
“So, there’s a number of suggested inconsistencies,” McHugh said.
“In those circumstances, I would have doubts about the complainant’s honesty and reliability.”
However, McHugh found the woman’s injuries were consistent with her account and inexplicable to Skinner’s, including his DNA found on her labia.
He found that, beyond reasonable doubt, Skinner had sexual intercourse with the victim, knowing she was not consenting.
He noted the woman was in poor physical health, and that it “stretches credulity beyond breaking point” that a much older, weaker woman could overcome his resistance or “pull him down so as to prevent his escape”.
Skinner will next face court on February 2 for sentencing submissions.
With AAP
National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732); Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; Lifeline 131 114; Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.
Most Viewed in National
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
