A man is fronting court today over the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Newcastle last week.
Police say at about 11:30pm last Friday night a 23-year-old woman was walking to her car on Maitland Road at Islington when a man approached her from behind.
It will be alleged in court that the man sexually assaulted the woman before a passer-by intervened and chased him onto Maitland Road, Beaumont Street and Fern Street.
Newcastle City Police District officers were notified and started investigating.
Following inquiries, police arrested a 47-year-old man at a workplace at Sandgate yesterday.
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station and charged with aggravated sex assault inflict actual bodily harm on victim.
The Windale man was refused bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court today.