A young woman was allegedly dragged into bushland near a western Sydney train station and sexually assaulted while walking home late at night.
Police allege the 23-year-old was walking from Flemington Station through Airey Park in Homebush on September 18 when she was approached by an unknown man.
‘Police were told the woman was restrained and dragged into nearby bushland, where the man allegedly sexually assaulted the woman,’ NSW Police said in a statement.
‘The 23-year-old woman left the scene a short time later and reported the matter to police.’
Detectives launched an investigation and, on Thursday morning, arrested a 27-year-old Jessie Lee Hardy.
He was taken to Bankstown Police Station and charged with a string of offences, including aggravated sexual assault inflicting actual bodily harm, intentionally choking a person without consent, taking a person with intent to commit a serious indictable offence, and stalking/intimidation with intent to cause fear of physical harm.
Police also executed a search warrant at a Padstow home in Sydney’s southwest, where several items were seized for forensic examination.
Hardy was refused police bail and is due to face Bankstown Local Court on Friday.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
A 27-year-old man has been arrested and charged with a slew of offences
The woman was dragged into bushland near Airey Park in Homebush and allegedly raped
