By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A TERRIFIED mum and her 14-month-old son were forced to barricade themselves inside a bedroom in their Pakenham home allegedly stormed by two women charged with assault and aggravated burglary.
Police allege the women, both aged 22 from Cranbourne East, smashed their way into the house after failing to coax the woman to let them in.
An ongoing spat is to blame for the violent intrusion, according to the victim who was, like her son, described by police to be “terrified and distraught” in the wake of the alleged incident.
The women are alleged to have begun banging on the door of the victim’s Ashton Place, Pakenham, home about 7pm on Sunday 3 July.
The victim, aged 23, became extremely fearful for herself and her toddler and decided to barricade herself inside the house.
The women continued to bang on the door, wanting to speak to the victim about an ongoing dispute, but on learning she was not going to open the door – the pair allegedly forced the locked front door open.
It is unclear how the women got into the home, but police who attended the home after the raid confirmed structural damage had been done to an internal plaster wall.
Police said both women allegedly made their way down the hallway leading to the bedroom, attempting to force it open to get to the mum and her child.
During this time, the victim called police.
The victim called out to the women, notifying them police were on their way, and they fled.
Police said the woman and her 14-month-old son were uninjured during the invasion, but were very shaken up.
An investigation into the matter led to the arrest of two 22-year-old Cranbourne East women.
They were located at their home, interviewed and charged with aggravated burglary, criminal damage, unlawful assault, assault in company.
The pair were bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a filing hearing on Friday 8 July.
