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Elderly woman beaten by man who hid in her Lethbridge basement for 18 hours, police say

Lethbridge man charged with sexually assaulting woman in basement of house for sale

A 75-year-old woman is recovering from multiple broken bones after she was attacked by a masked intruder in her Lethbridge home on Wednesday, police say.

Officers responded to a house in the 3000 block of Fairway Street South on May 22 after neighbours called 911. They reported hearing screams and seeing an elderly woman being attacked in her garage, police said in a release.

The woman was taken to hospital with a broken nose and other head injuries.

It's believed the culprit broke into the woman's home early in the morning on May 21 and spent the night in a basement bedroom while she was sleeping upstairs.

The following evening, the woman was watching TV when she heard a noise and went to investigate, police say.

The intruder, who was wearing a mask, punched the woman several times and then dragged her to her garage, where he hit her over the head multiple times with a bicycle.

He then fled in the woman's vehicle.

A few hours later, police spotted the stolen vehicle being driven without its headlights on.

Adam Hall Hobkirk-Onate, 21, of no fixed address in Ottawa, was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily harm, housebreaking and robbery, and disguise with intent.

Hobkirk-Onate is being kept in custody and is set to appear in court on May 27.

The woman was treated at Chinook Regional Hospital for multiple broken bones in her nose and other head injuries and is now being cared for by her family.

The suspect was not known to the victim and has no ties to Lethbridge, police say.