A man convicted of indecently assaulting a woman and attempting to choke her during an attack at her residence has been sentenced to six years in prison.

The conviction arose from an incident on August 23, 2022, involving a 48-year-old woman who told the court that the accused entered her property without permission while she was outside and alone at home.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that after the woman declined his offers of assistance and told him she had nothing to give him, the man allegedly groped her several times before forcing her into a kitchen and demanding sex. When she refused, he grabbed her by the neck and attempted to choke her.

The woman testified that she persuaded him to step outside to turn off a washing machine and then locked the kitchen door behind him. However, the accused later re-entered the house.

Jurors viewed CCTV footage that reportedly showed the man reaching through louvres in the front door to gain entry. The footage also captured the woman running outside screaming for help and showed her on the ground with the accused standing over her before a neighbour intervened.

During the trial, the defendant claimed the encounter had been arranged in advance and involved a payment of $90 for sex. He said he returned to the house only to retrieve his money.

The jury rejected that account and found him guilty in March on charges of indecent assault and attempted choking.

At sentencing, the court imposed a 14-month prison term for the indecent assault conviction and six years for the attempted choking offence. The sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of six years.