Teen who 'raped, stabbed and bludgeoned' 43-year-old woman arrested

A teenager has been charged with the sexual assault and attempted murder of a 43-year-old woman in her home in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The 16-year-old's victim was sleeping at her home in Lismore in north-eastern New South Wales when she woke to find the teenager armed with a knife after 4am, NSW Police said.

The woman was sexually assaulted, stabbed and hit on the head – her screams alerting neighbours and forcing the teen to flee.

She was left with a stab wound, facial injuries and cuts and taken to Lismore Base Hospital.

Police arrested a teenager at a home in Coraki on Wednesday evening.

He will appear in Lismore Local Court on Thursday charged with numerous offences including aggravated sexual assault and wounding a person with intent to murder.