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Judge Convicts Hayden Skinner of Raping 76-Year-Old at Coffs Harbour Aged-Care Home

A judge-alone trial relying on DNA and injury evidence rejected his claim he broke in only to steal.

Overview

  • Judge Michael McHugh found Skinner guilty of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent and ruled he entered with intent to sexually assault.
  • Forensic findings placed Skinner’s DNA on the woman’s pants, labia and under her fingernails, with injuries matching her account.
  • The assault occurred in the early hours of January 1, 2024, after the intruder scaled a fence and went through an unlocked door.
  • The victim has since died of unrelated causes and remains legally unnamed under reporting restrictions.
  • Skinner, who denied sexual contact and said he was there to steal, returns to court on February 2 for sentencing submissions and to set a sentencing date.