KEY POINTS:
A 49-year-old man will appear in court tomorrow charged over the sexual assault of an elderly woman during a home invasion last night.
The man was arrested in Mangawhai by Rodney CIB investigators a short time ago.
He is now in Police custody and will face charges of aggravated burglarly and attempted sexual violation in the North Shore District Court tomorrow.
Police said further charges may be laid. They said the man's arrest came after "excellent information" from the public.
They are describing the 73-year-old woman as "very, very brave" after she managed to grab the knife from her attacker and stab him in the arm and leg.
She then spoke to him to calm him down, say police.
The man in charge of the investigation, Detective Inspector Steve Wood, of Waitemata Police, said it was a "courageous effort" by the woman who he described as "mentally strong".
"She managed to keep together and remain calm so she did everything right."
In an interview outside the woman's home at Mangawhai, north of Auckland, Mr Wood said that, "under the circumstances, she's holding up very well."
Police say that a man forced his way into the woman's home at 9.40pm yesterday and sexually assaulted her.
"She managed to get hold of the knife, stabbed him in the leg and arm, and then had a discussion with him."
He would not say what they talked about. After he left, she called 111.
A man is currently being interviewed by police over the incident.
Giving more details of the incident, Detective Sergeant Stan Brown, of Rodney CIB, said the woman had been in bed when a man entered her bedroom armed with what appeared to be a steak knife.
"A struggle then ensued in which the woman was able to get the knife off the intruder and stab him in the left forearm, and the thigh on his right leg," Mr Brown said.
The woman had given a detailed description of the incident and her attacker to police.
- NZ HERALD REPORTER, NZPA
