The alleged sexual assault of an elderly woman inside a Coffs Harbour aged care facility has shocked the Mid North Coast community and raised renewed concerns about resident safety. The accused, Hayden Carl Skinner, is now facing a judge-alone trial in the District Court, where the prosecution and defence have presented starkly different versions of what occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day in 2024.
Skinner, who has pleaded not guilty, is charged with aggravated sexual assault during a break and entry. The court has heard that he climbed over a fence at the Catholic aged care home on Azalea Avenue before entering the room of a 76-year-old woman who was physically frail but cognitively sound.
According to the Crown prosecutor, the woman was found distressed and naked from the waist down after pressing her room buzzer and screaming for help. A registered nurse responded and found her attempting to reach a nearby friend’s room. The nurse told the court she immediately reported that a man had entered her room and raped her. She provided a description of a tall, well-built man wearing a stocking over his head and a hoodie.
Emergency services were called shortly after 2.30am. A paramedic who attended the scene recounted the woman’s account of a struggle. She said the attacker pressed his arm across her chest and over her mouth in an attempt to stop her calling out. She also reported pain in her right breast and vagina.
The Crown alleges that Skinner removed the woman’s clothing and attempted to penetrate her. DNA matching the accused was found under her fingernails and on her body, and investigators noted bruising on her inner thighs that resembled finger marks. A police officer from the Sex Crimes Squad provided evidence that the woman made two statements before her death. Her death was unrelated to the alleged assault, but her statements have been heavily redacted as the defence cannot cross examine her.
The woman’s son also gave emotional evidence, recalling his mother describing her attacker as strong and clean smelling. He said she was deeply distressed as she recounted the ordeal to him in hospital.
Skinner’s defence barrister told the court that his client had entered the facility only to find something valuable to pay off a drug debt. He argued that the woman woke and grabbed Skinner, causing a struggle, but insisted there was no sexual contact. He also questioned the reliability of the description she initially provided, noting discrepancies between her account and police body camera footage of Skinner recorded the night before the alleged incident.
The trial is expected to run for up to eight days before Judge Michael McHugh delivers a verdict. As the case proceeds, it has cast a grim light on the vulnerability of elderly residents and the grave risks posed when security systems fail.
Support services have reminded the community that help is available to anyone affected by sexual violence. 1800 Respect, Lifeline and Sexual Assault Counselling Australia all provide confidential assistance.
This case continues to unfold, with the court yet to determine precisely what occurred in that aged care bedroom on New Year’s Day. The disturbing allegations have already left a lasting imprint on the region and the aged care sector, which continues to grapple with the challenge of protecting its most vulnerable residents.
