An Illawarra man accused of breaking into a Gwynneville home and violently raping and bashing an elderly woman will remain behind bars.
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Christopher Coombs, 39, did not apply for bail during a brief appearance in Port Kembla Local Court on Tuesday morning and it was formally refused.
Court documents revealed Coombs was on parole after serving prison time for four separate offences and has multiple convictions on his record for acts of violence.
He is accused of forcing his way into the Gwynneville home in the early hours of Monday morning, hitting the 77-year-old woman on the head with a bedside lamp and sexually assaulting her.
The woman managed to call emergency services about 3.45am.
She was found with serious head injuries and taken to hospital for treatment.
Police established a crime scene and carried out a forensic examination of the house, allegedly locating Coombs’ fingerprints on the headboard of the woman’s bed.
He was arrested at a nearby home that he shares with his mother less than four hours later.
He was charged with aggravated sexual assault, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and special aggravated enter dwelling house.
In court on Tuesday, defence lawyer Matt Russoniello said Coombs appeared to have some mental health problems and asked the court to recommend he be admitted to a prison psychiatric hospital.
The case will return to court on September 2.