A young Balclutha woman is recovering with family after being beaten during a home invasion in Balclutha.
The 24-year-old woman was alone in her High St flat about 11.50pm on Saturday when a man broke in through an insecure bathroom window, Sergeant Martin Bell, of Balclutha, said.
When confronted by the startled woman, the man allegedly charged at her and assaulted her.
The man and the victim knew each other and police were satisfied there the attack was not sexually motivated.
Sgt Bull said the woman was woken by noises in the house.
She turned on the bathroom light and saw the man standing there.
He charged the woman, pushed her to the ground and struck her several times.
The man then stopped and apologised to the woman, who tried to calm him down.
Sgt Bull said she used that opportunity to persuade the man to leave the house.
She then called the police, who found the man, who lived nearby, soon afterwards.
He had been drinking, Sgt Bull said.
Attacks of this nature were rare in Balclutha, and Sgt Bull stressed it was a one-off incident as opposed to a random attack.
A 36-year-old Balclutha man appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday charged with burglary and injuring with intent.
He was remanded in custody to reappear again on September 30.
Sgt Bull said police opposed bail because of the serious nature of the incident.
