A young city woman confronted her darkest and deepest fears yesterday when she testified at the dangerous offender hearing of a vicious Edmonton rapist.

And although she was tearful on the witness stand, the brave college student remained in the courtroom after giving her evidence and stared at the man whose twisted behavior plunged her into three years of depression.

The woman, who asked that her name not be used, testified she was just coming home to the basement suite she shared with her sister after working a night shift at a downtown hotel when she saw a "creepy" man nearby.

She said she went into the home through the side door and locked it and then heard the screen door opening.

Thinking it was her landlady who lived upstairs, she opened the door and saw the same "creepy" man about to kick in the door. She turned to run, but the man lunged at her, they both went down the stairs and he grabbed her.

She began screaming and her sister, who was in the shower, heard her and ran into the bedroom to call 911.

The attacker shoved the first sister down and went after the one using the phone. As he shoved her, the first woman ran outside to get help and the man ran away.

As a result of the June 16, 2003, incident, the woman testified she suffered depression and anxiety and was diagnosed as having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Though she is now doing much better and is going to school and working, she said the incident is never far from her mind.

"It's always there," she testified."I worry constantly about it happening again."

The hearing, which began Monday and is slated for 14 days, is being held for Russell Ominayak, 28, who was convicted by a jury on June 28, 2005, of raping a city mom in front of her young son during a break-in in 2003.

Court heard Ominayak was arrested and charged with the rape after a one-day crime spree, which included the attack on the two sisters. If the Crown succeeds in having him labelled a dangerous offender, Ominayak will be jailed indefinitely.

Source: Edmonton Sun