A 13-YEAR-OLD boy has been denied bail accused of indecently assaulting two women in separate incidents on a local bike track.
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The boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, was arrested by Armidale detectives following investigations into assaults on the Armidale bike track in the Creeklands area.
Detectives allege the boy grabbed and indecently assaulted one woman last Sunday, as she walked her dog about 5.30pm.
“The 19-year-old victim was tackled from behind and was grabbed and indecently assaulted by an offender,” New England Detective Inspector Ann Joy told Fairfax Media.
“Detectives seized a number of exhibits at the scene for forensic analysis, conducted an extensive canvass of nearby properties, gathered CCTV footage from various locations from around the scene and interviewed a number of witnesses including the group of children that responded to the victim's cries for help,” Detective Inspector Joy said.
Detectives seized a number of exhibits at the scene for forensic analysis, conducted an extensive canvass of nearby properties, gathered CCTV footage from various locations from around the scene and interviewed a number of witnesses including the group of children that responded to the victim's cries for help.
- Detective Inspector Ann Joy
Police stepped up patrols of the area and were seen stopping and questioning anyone seen loitering in the area.
The breakthrough came on Friday morning when police pounced on a 13-year-old at an Armidale home, arresting him and charging him with the indecent assault.
”In addition he was charged with a second indecent assault offence that occurred about 9.40am on the 18th of August and that incident was reviewed in the course of this investigation,” Detective Inspector Joy said.
“That incident involved the indecent assault of a 41-year-old female jogging along the bike track and it’s alleged she was jogging along that bike track in the vicinity of the Niagara Street end and was grabbed while she was running and indecently assaulted.”
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She wasn’t injured and the offender fled the scene.
The 13-year-old appeared in an out-of-sessions bail hearing in Armidale Children’s Court late on Friday and was denied bail.
He was not required to enter pleas to two charges of assault with an act of indecency. He was remanded into custody to reappear in a children’s court.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
