New South Wales man pleads not guilty to murder of elderly nursing home resident

A man accused of raping and murdering an elderly woman during a break‑in at a Central Coast nursing home in November 2023 appeared via video link at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Newcastle and pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated break‑and‑enter and other charges. He admitted to an alternative charge of sexual intercourse without consent. The suspect was arrested at Caves Beach six days after the incident and charged with multiple serious sexual‑assault and burglary offences. The woman, aged in her 90s, died in hospital on 28 November 2023 after being taken there with serious injuries; police awaited the autopsy results before upgrading the charges to murder and manslaughter in December 2024. A judge‑alone trial is scheduled to begin in February 2025, focusing on medical expert testimony and police evidence.