A man charged with the sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman in North Lambton on Thursday has been refused bail.
Jonah Somasundaram, 20, appeared in Newcastle Bail Court on Saturday charged with four counts of aggravated sex assault-threat to inflict actual bodily harm victim with weapon, break and enter indictable offence (not steal/damage), robbery armed with offensive weapon, sexually touch another person without consent, and reckless wounding.
Police arrested Somasundaram at a home in Faulkner Crescent, North Lambton, on Friday afternoon.
The arrest came after the establishment of Strike Force Oorin and extensive inquiries with assistance from the State Crime Command's Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad.
Police had issued a public appeal following the break and enter and assault on Thursday afternoon, which Newcastle City Police commander Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey described as an "aggravated and predatory" act.
Somasundaram is alleged to have broken into the woman's Turana Parade home and entered her bedroom armed with a knife and threatened her.
The woman attempted to yell out and alert neighbours before Somasundaram allegedly grabbed her and sexually assaulted her, police said.
He fled the residence on foot and the woman sought assistance from other residents, who notified police.
Following his arrest, investigators searched Somasundaram's home and seized a number of items relevant to the investigation.
Somasundaram sought bail on Saturday but was not able to nominate another address to reside at.
Bail was strongly opposed by the prosecution and then refused by the judge who said Somasundaram posed an unacceptable risk of potentially endangering the victim.
He will appear in court on Monday, August 2.
