Man arrested over sex assault on girl, 13

A 37-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the sexual assault of a 13-year-old Napier girl as she slept in her bed on Wednesday night.

The man was interviewed and charged yesterday afternoon and will appear in Napier District Court today, police said.

He faces two charges of sexual violation and one of burglary.

The girl and her family were asleep in their Darwin Cres home, in the suburb of Maraenui, when a man broke into the house through an open window shortly before midnight Wednesday, police said yesterday.

The man then walked through the house and into the girl's bedroom. She woke to find the man sexually assaulting her.

Detective Sergeant Emmet Lynch of Napier CIB said the man arrested was local.

The quick arrest was the result of the family's description of the suspect and a number of inquiries in the neighbourhood, he said.

"Several people were able to help us further with a possible suspect."

Mr Lynch said the man also faces a third charge of sexual violation for an incident on Tuesday.

Police are not releasing any information on the second assault.

- NZPA