Night prowler targeted bungalows to sexually assault lone older women, court told

Between May and October last year police received reports women had woken to find a man in their bedroom standing by their bed.

Preston Crown Court heard one woman said she had been raped by the intruder and another woke to find a man sexually assaulting her.

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Zsolt Suhaj, 25, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, admits breaking into homes in Nelson, Colne and Barrowford, but denies any sexual motive.

Opening the trial Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting, said: “The alleged offences began in May last year with the sexual assault of a 70-year-old woman and culminated in the alleged rape of a 66-year-old woman in October.

“They all involved the defendant entering occupied properties as a trespasser at night.

“There is evidence that the defendant must have carefully watched these properties before entering them.

“All but one of the properties is a bungalow.

“The Crown says that is not a coincidence because older people tend to live in bungalows and older people are more likely to be living alone – and therefore make better targets.”

The first victim, who can not be identified for legal reasons, told police she thought she was dreaming when she woke to find a man touching her under the bedsheets.

The court heard she screamed and reached out to his face, to check he was real, and felt stubble ‘like a stiff brush’.

As she screamed, the man put his finger to his lips and told her to shush, before he left through the front door, the jury was told.

The woman’s story was so unusual the court heard police first asked the woman if she was hallucinating or having a nightmare, as she had recently been discharged from hospital.

However in the following months other break-ins were reported in Nelson, Colne and Barrowford, the court heard.

On July 13, Mr Grout-Smith said a man watching TV in the conservatory of a bungalow in Nelson, heard a noise and went to investigate.

He checked on his young daughter but when he went into his bedroom he saw a man standing over the bed, staring at his 22-year-old partner.

The man threw his phone at the intruder, who ran out of the house.

On July 23, the court heard a 70-year-old woman, who lived alone, turned over in bed at around 5.30am and saw a man standing by her wardrobe, staring at her.

On August 14, a woman saw a man trying get in through the patio doors and shouted her husband – causing the intruder to flee.

While on August 22, Mr Grout-Smith said a woman living alone in Nelson woke to see a man standing in her doorway, staring and on August 25 a woman was woken by her bedroom light being switched on.

During the final incident a 66-year-old woman was going back to bed after getting herself a drink when an intruder allegedly put his hand over her mouth and tried to take off some of her clothes.

The woman then said she was raped, the jury was told.

Police released images of a man they wanted to speak to in the local press which led to Suhaj’s arrest.

During interview the defendant admitted breaking into the houses but said he was looking for money or gold to steal.

He claimed the alleged rape was a consensual sexual act with the 66-year-old, after he climbed into her home through a window.

He also claimed he had not deliberately touched the 70-year-old woman sexually and any contact was accidental.

Mr Grout-Smith said: “It makes no sense to say this 66-year-old woman consented in that way or that he accidentally touched this 70-year-old.

“These defences can be utterly discounted.

“They really are attempts by the defendant to hide what his true intention was in all these cases.”

Suhaj denies rape, sexual assault, five counts of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and attempted trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence.

(Proceeding)