Priest's jaw broken in WA robbery

A man has been arrested after he allegedly attacked a priest, breaking his jaw, during a robbery at a West Australian cathedral, police say.

A 34-year-old man is alleged to have broken into the priest's house at the back of St Patrick's Cathedral in Bunbury in November, and attacked the 43-year-old.

The Catholic priest suffered a broken jaw, and had to be taken to hospital for treatment and surgery, a WA police spokeswoman said.

After an intensive police search, the local man was arrested overnight and charged with aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, stealing, giving false details to police, assaulting a public officer and escaping legal custody.

It will be alleged that, during the arrest, the man ran from police, vaulting several fences, before being recaptured.

He is due to appear in Bunbury Magistrates court later on Friday.