Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Illustrative: A carer helping an elderly Israeli to cross the street in Tel Aviv. (Kobi Gideon/Flash90)
An Eritrean national was indicted Sunday for allegedly assaulting and trying to rape an 80-year woman in Tel Aviv earlier this month.
Younes Barha, 29, was indicted at the Tel Aviv District Court with attempted rape, abuse and causing bodily harm, according to Israeli media reports.
According to the charge sheet, Barha jumped on the elderly woman, who was out strolling with a walker, and hit her, knocking her down on the pavement.
He then allegedly dragged the woman to a corner, where he tried to rape her while beating her. Passerby called police after hearing the elderly woman scream.
Illustrative photo of a woman walking down a Tel Aviv street. (Simona Weinglass/Times of Israel)
When police arrived, he ran, the charge sheet said, but was stopped and arrested a short while later.
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The woman sustained a broken arm, and bruises on her face, arms, and legs.
“The defendant chose to satisfy his sexual desires on a victim who was easy prey, an elderly woman who finds it hard to walk, in an ugly exploitation of someone limited by age and physical ability,” the prosecution said.
Prosecutors asked the court to keep Barha under arrest until the end of proceedings against him.
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