Judge Gordon Lerve sentenced Colin James Ambrym in the District Court at Albury and imposed a minimum term of 3½ years on a charge of aggravated break and enter committing a serious indictable offence of depriving someone’s liberty.

The sentence was backdated to the date of Ambrym’s arrest and his earliest possible release is April 3, 2018.

Ambrym was identified from a fingprint left on a lap-top computer and DNA from the girl.

The random home invasion happened in central Albury on June 21 last year when the victim, 15, was at home alone.

She was sitting on a couch in the lounge room with her dog when Ambrym entered the house through a closed, but unlocked back door.

The dog began to growl and the victim saw Ambrym standing inside the house carrying her laptop, a DS game console and mobile phone in his arms.

When he saw her, Ambrym put the items down and put his hand over the girl’s mouth to stop her making any noise or calling for help.

He walked the victim towards the kitchen-dining area with his hand still covering her mouth.

Ambrym said he was not going to rape or harm her and indicated he was leaving.

He said he had to tie her up before leaving and indicated for her to take off her jacket.

His hands were put on the victim’s waist as he escorted her to the bathroom.

The victim took off her jacket, top and jeans and was hoping Ambrym would leave.

But he asked the girl’s age, was told and put his hand inside her underwear.

The victim’s father arrived home while that was happening and Ambrym was alerted by noise.

He ran from the house, jumped a back fence and the victim told her father what had happened.

A call was made to police, who established a crime scene and Ambrym’s fingerprint was found on the computer.

The victim was taken to the Albury hospital for examination and a swab from inside her underwear positively matched Ambrym’s DNA.

Two days later an arrest warrant was issued for Ambrym and police released a photograph of him to the media to assist in finding him.