Family left traumatised

IN THE dead of night, while her two young children and sister slept upstairs, a Newtown woman’s world was rocked when a man with an axe tried to break in.

The woman has said her 42year-old neighbour allegedly tried to break in the previous night, before returning with an axe on Friday, July 15.

“My ex was five minutes from leaving for work … when we heard loud bangs at the door as if someone was kicking it to get in,” she said.

“I called my neighbour (who could see my front door), and he said (the man) was breaking in.

“That’s when we realised he had an axe.”

The woman’s neighbour and ex-partner made the man sit down while police were called, however the woman was left frozen in fear.

“I was too frightened and in tears to even speak,” she said.

“I definitely think he was going to get in, had I not have had my ex there or the other neighbour’s number.

“We just have no idea what he actually wanted to do or if he has plans to do it again.

“I’ve never had any interaction with this guy, never spoken to him or even really seen him.”

A man was taken into custody and charged with one count of going armed as to cause fear, one count of wilful damage, and one count of possessing dangerous drugs.

The man has since been released on bail, with strict bail conditions.

However, the woman said she was not told of his release until it was too late.

“I’m appalled that the police didn’t follow up with me or notify me that he was out,” she said. “The hardest part now is that I’m too scared to return home, and I’m a single mum with two kids and no family support in town.

“I’m currently staying in a caravan … I just don’t think I can get it together to go back home.

“I still don’t know why he chose my house to attack.”

A Queensland Police spokesman said it was “unusual” the woman was not alerted to his approved bail and was unsure of the reasons.

The accused is set to appear in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on August 16.

In an emergency, call triple-0.