EXCLUSIVE
A grandmother who police allege was raped in her sleep at an aged care centre before her death had only just celebrated her 90th birthday.
Disturbing new details emerged as furious residents of the Uniting Nareen Gardens aged care home, in Bateau Bay on the NSW Central Coast, slammed inadequate security at the centre.
The grandmother, Kate* was allegedly attacked by Brett Crawford, 34, who police claim broke in during the early hours of November 15.
Crawford then allegedly used bedding to silence her cries for help as he pinned her to the bed and raped her twice. Police allege that he used so much force to hold her down that he tore the skin on her arms.
He then allegedly stole some of her belongings and fled the scene before police found and arrested him five days later.
The woman managed to alert staff and was rushed to hospital, but after spending almost two weeks fighting for life, she tragically passed away on Tuesday.
The woman celebrated her 90th birthday on November 5 – just 10 days before the alleged attack.
Pictured: The Uniting aged care facility in Bateau Bay where Kate was allegedly attacked. A black fence runs along some parts of the grounds, however, there is a massive gap along the northern edge
Pictured: The row of units at Nareen Gardens where Kate was living. Her unit was towards the end of the block, below the satellite dish to the right
Police will allege she was attacked in the above unit on November 15
One resident at the centre told Daily Mail the facility was poorly managed and there were not enough security measures to keep occupants safe.
While a tall black fence runs around the corners of the facilities, there is a massive gap along the grounds’ northern edge – allowing complete open access to pedestrians.
The man said when residents voice their concerns action is ‘never taken’ and they should have had security guards patrolling onsite a long time ago.
‘They don’t care,’ the man said.
‘They said they were going to up the security, but they won’t. I’ve been here 12 months now and I am starting to see it for what it really is.
‘This whole thing stinks.’
Another man said the nursing home had questions to answer about how the alleged crimes were able to unfold on their watch.
He said staff had started installing new security doors on some of the units but it shouldn’t have taken a tragedy for the centre to implement safeguards for its elderly residents.
‘It shouldn’t have happened,’ he said.
‘It is so sad what she [allegedly] went through.
The facility is accessible via a pavement that runs along the northern edge of the grounds
‘All of the other women are afraid now that it could happen to them.’
A Uniting spokesperson told Daily Mail they have received no complaints ‘of this nature’ over recent times.
‘We are in constant touch with our residents, their families, and carers to ensure they are aware of anything that might relate to their particular residence, and how Uniting is responding,’ the spokesperson said.
‘We encourage our residents to communicate openly with us, through their daily interactions with our employees, or via their families and carers, so that we can be aware of and responsive to our residents needs and suggestions as and when they arise.
‘Ultimately our focus is always on the care and wellbeing of the people who call a Uniting residence ”home” and how to make it as comfortable, supportive and safe as we possibly can.”
On Tuesday, Deputy Nationals leader and Opposition seniors spokesperson Bronnie Taylor revealed in parliament Crawford had served a lengthy jail term for a very similar attack in 2011.
Speaking under parliamentary privilege, Ms Taylor brought up the accused rapist during an adjournment debate in the Legislative Council to call for a review into how the first case was handled.
‘I have the great privilege as we all do in this place of being a member, and that privilege allows me a voice that I am able to give to those who don’t and tonight… I intend to use it,’ Ms Taylor said.
‘I am going to speak tonight about a horrific incident that happened.
‘Crawford, who then had the surname Ralph, was in 2013 jailed for a maximum of 10 years and seven months for a similar sex attack on a woman in her Bateau Bay home.
‘That incident occurred on January 30, 2011.
‘Crawford had been at a party at a home and then he was told to leave, but later that night he broke back into that home, which like the nursing home was in Bateau Bay.
‘He held a knife to a woman before sexually assaulting her.
Police will allege Crawford tore the skin off the woman’s arm from the sheer force of pinning her down
Pictured: A signpost outside Nareen Gardens Lodge. Nareen Gardens is one of three aged care villages on the Uniting aged care facility’s grounds.
‘After raping the woman, Crawford stabbed her in the face.’
Parliament heard Crawford was initially charged with nine offences, which were dwindled down to a single count of cause grievous bodily harm after he took a plea deal.
However, the NSW District Court judge took into consideration some of the other charges – including commit an act of indecency and three counts of assault with act of indecency – during the sentencing process.
Ms Taylor called for a review into how authorities treated Crawford’s case more than a decade ago to determine whether their were any shortcomings.
‘What has happened here to this woman [Kate] is despicable, but what is even more alarming is did it need to happen at all?’ she said.
‘We need a judicial system that is in line with (the) community’s values and expectations, because this defines us and who we are and the morals that we live by and should stand by.’
Two days after the alleged attack on Kate, detectives raided a property at The Entrance two days later and seizing electronics, SIM Cards and clothing.
Crawford was arrested three days later at a Caves Beach home while allegedly trying to flee the premises.
He suffered minor arm injuries while running out of the house and jumping over a fence and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Crawford was later charged with aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-use violence, inflict actual bodily harm with intent to have sexual intercourse with victim, aggravated sexual assault – break and enter with intent, and aggravated sexual assault – inflict actual bodily harm on victim.
He has been denied bail and is next due to appear before court in February.
*Name has been changed