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Homeless man turns himself in after being stabbed during alleged sex attack on woman

A 21-year-old homeless man has handed himself in over a sexual assault in a Melbourne park, during which the victim turned her assailant's knife on him.

The 32-year-old woman had been walking a friend's dog in Thornbury on Saturday night when she crossed the road into Mayer Park to avoid a man acting suspiciously.

But the man followed her, claiming he needed help finding something, before pulling out a knife, pushing the woman to the ground and sexually assaulting her.

The Melbourne park with police tape around it.
A general view of Mayer Park in Thornbury, Melbourne. Source: AAP/Ellen Smith

She managed to grab the knife and stab him before running with the dog onto the road and flagging down a passing car. The woman was taken to hospital but has since been released.

Police say a man went to a police station on Monday.

"Sexual Crime Squad detectives have arrested a 21-year-old man following an alleged sexual assault in a Thornbury park on Saturday night," the statement reads.

"The man, of no fixed address, attended Preston Police Station about 11am."

He remains in custody and is being interviewed.

Saturday's attack follows a string of high-profile assaults on women in public places across Melbourne. Courtney Herron, 25, was bashed and killed at Parkville's Royal Park in May. Henry Hammond is charged with her murder.

Sexual Crime Squad Detective Acting Inspector Janet Mitchell speaks to the media in Melbourne on Sunday. Source: AAP/Ellen Smith
Sexual Crime Squad Detective Acting Inspector Janet Mitchell speaks to the media in Melbourne on Sunday. Source: AAP/Ellen Smith

In January, 21-year-old Aiia Maasarwe was raped, murdered and set on fire near a Bundoora tram stop. Her attacker, 21-year-old Codey Herrmann, is awaiting sentence.

Budding comedian Eurydice Dixon, 22, was raped and murdered while walking home through Princes Park at Carlton North in June last year.

Jaymes Todd is appealing against his life sentence over the attack.

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