Man who stopped sex attack praised

Photo / NZ Herald

Christchurch police have praised a man who intervened during an alleged rape over the weekend.

A 41-year-old man will appear in Christchurch District Court today charged with rape, unlawful sexual connection, theft and injury with intent to injure following an attack on a 20-year-old woman in the central city about midnight Saturday.

The woman was walking on Hereford Street when she was approached by a man, pushed into a front yard and sexually assaulted.

The house's occupant, who wanted to be identified only as Phill, heard screaming and went out to investigate.

"He was on top of her and she was struggling, with arms flailing and screaming 'help me, help me'," he told The Press.

"I grabbed him and pulled him towards me and looked him right in the eye and I could see the sweat on his brow and he was wondering what I was going to do next.

"I pushed him onto the street and pushed him away and said 'f... off'."

The man ran off and Phil flagged down a passing police car.

The attacker was eventually found crouching in a nearby yard.

Detective Sergeant Leairne Dow said Phill stopped a "horrific" attack.

"He was brilliant. Without his help, things could have progressed and got a lot worse," she said.

"She (the woman) is not doing too bad considering the ordeal she has been through. She is very lucky."

- NZPA