Accused on parole when woman was ‘assaulted’

A TEENAGER who allegedly attacked an elderly woman in her Manunda home, covering her face with a cloth, had been released on probation for a similar offence less than three weeks earlier.

The 17-year-old, who can- not be named because he was a child during the previous offence, is accused of approaching the 62-year-old woman as she sat in a recliner on Saturday morning and covering her mouth and nose with a piece of material that muffled her attempts to scream.

He then fled after she struggled. He was denied bail in the Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday, where he faced charges of enter dwelling with intent and serious assault. Magistrate Robert Spencer labelled the allegations “very concerning”.

He said the man had only been released from custody 17 days earlier after being convicted of a sexual assault in the Children’s Court.

“It is a continuation of behaviour occurring only a very short period of time after he was released from detention,” he said.

“This sort of behaviour, where he invades someone’s property, particularly a mature-aged woman ... the behaviour is identical.”

The magistrate labelled him an “unacceptable risk” for release.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service solicitor Steve Carter said his client had previously been drinking at a graduation party when some boys there gave him an unknown drug that caused him to “freak out”.

“He didn’t know what got into him,” he said. “He was sweaty, he was spinning out.

“He wants to go back and apologise (to the victim).

“He should have just gone home to mum.”

The woman was not injured in the alleged attack.

The case has been and will return court on December 11. adjourned to