A man alleged to have bashed a Sydney woman with a meat cleaver before sexually assaulting her in her home has been arrested and charged with numerous offences.
Police believe the man entered the 26-year-old woman's Auburn unit on Friday night and found a meat cleaver in her kitchen, which he used to threaten and beat her.
"He assaulted her a number of times and hit her in the back of the head with the handle of the meat cleaver before he sexually assaulted her," Sex Crimes Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said on Monday.
After he left, the woman barricaded herself in the apartment until she felt safe, before fleeing to Auburn Police Station.
Officers from Auburn Police Station began investigating, before Strike Force Cinnibar was established with State Crime Command Sex Crime Squad detectives and officers from the South West Metropolitan Region.
"These are thankfully very rare types of offences," Det. Supt Doherty said.
"The fact that the victim has come forward so quickly in this matter has enabled us to ensure that this person is arrested and will be before the courts so swiftly."
Strike force detectives on Monday morning arrested a 37-year-old man at Silverwater prison, where he was in custody on another matter.
He was charged with multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault, including two counts of threatening to inflict harm with a weapon, sexually touching another person without consent and one count of aggravated break and enter to commit serious indictable offence.
He was refused bail and will appear in Burwood Local Court on Tuesday.
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