None

A YOUNG woman locked herself in her garage to escape a terrifying home invasion yesterday morning.

The 23-year-old Union Street resident was forced to seek refuge in her garage when a man, who was allegedly high on drugs, entered her home about 9am.

The man was being chased by police when he jumped the woman’s back fence and barged into her home through an unlocked back door.

Police said he locked himself in an ensuite and they used capsicum foam to detain him.

Sergeant Steve Rainey said police initially thought the man was a mental health patient and he was taken to hospital by ambulance, however it was later discovered he had been using methamphetamine, commonly known as ice.

Police and ambulance at the scene yesterday.

None

“Police were actually called down to the hospital later in the day when he was released because he was causing a nuisance,” Sergeant Rainey said.

“We had a call earlier in relation to possible mental health issues and police attended the address of this fella who was a bit irrational and he ended up doing a runner.”

Police gave chase on foot and followed the man into the young woman’s home.

The woman was visibly distressed yesterday and in shock.

The man has been charged with resisting police arrest, trespass and unlawful assault and will appear in the Bendigo Magistrates Court.

Sergeant Rainey warned of the dangers of using ice.

“It’s just an extremely dangerous and volatile substance that can have terrible and uncontrollable effects on people,” he said.

“It’s not only an extreme danger to the user but also hazardous to the general public because of situations like this.”