A man has appeared in court charged with the attempted sexual assault of an 81-year-old woman in a retirement village south of Perth yesterday.
Mandurah man Shannon James Fisher, 30, has been charged with attempted aggravated sexual penetration without consent.
The woman was alone and asleep in her Greenfields unit in the early hours of yesterday morning when Mr Fisher allegedly broke in to her unit and grabbed her.
He allegedly attempted to sexually assault the woman, but fled after she fought him off.
Police said was "a very cowardly attack on a vulnerable member of our community" which left the woman needing hospital treatment for cuts and bruises to her face and hand.
"She's naturally shaken and upset by the incident but she is being cared for by family," Detective Sergeant Nicole Simon said.
A CCTV image of the suspect was released by authorities yesterday before Mr Fisher was taken into custody.
In addition to the charge of attempted aggravated sexual penetration without consent, he has also been charged with aggravated home burglary.
"It will be alleged about 2:10am, the man entered the woman's home where he attempted to sexually assault her," a WA Police spokeswoman said.
"It is further alleged as a result of the assault the woman received bruising and abrasions to her face and swelling to her hand."
Mr Fisher was remanded in custody to reappear in court on May 13.
