BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

A man has been charged with multiple offences following a series of threats he allegedly made in the Maitland area on Sunday night.

Police heard the 44-year-old entered the front yard of a home on Cecily Close, East Maitland, at around 7:30pm.

It’s alleged the man threatened an occupant of the home and left before returning with a rifle.

A struggle ensued between the pair before the alleged offender once again left.

Police were called to the scene but failed to locate the man.

About 3 hours later he was finally tracked down at Woodberry, where police say he had forced entry to a home on Redbill Drive before threatening and assaulting a 72-year-old woman inside.

With help from the Police Dog Unit, officers arrested the man at nearby Swallow Close following a short foot pursuit.

Officers later seized a rifle from a home on Cecily Close.

The man has been charged break and enter offences as well as common assault, stealing and destroying property and possessing an unregistered firearm.

He was refused bail to face court Monday, July 8th.

Nobody was injured in either incident and police believe the man knew both of the alleged victims.