SA man guilty of attempted abduction of an elderly woman could be deemed a sexual predator (ABC)

The Supreme Court will consider whether a man found guilty of trying to abduct an elderly woman should be deemed a sexual predator.

Eamon Merritt Sumner, 29, was found guilty in May of attempting to abduct the 70-year-old at St Agnes in 2012.

The District Court heard she had been walking her dog and was ambushed by Sumner, who tried to force her into a car boot.

She resisted and Sumner slammed her head into the ground and stomped on her face.

Today, a judge backed a prosecution application to refer the case to the Supreme Court where it will be alleged that Sumner is incapable or unwilling to control his sexual instincts.

Sumner had previously been jailed for offences against women, including indecent assault.

Prosecutor Melissa Wilkinson said that given his criminal history, there could be little doubt he intended to sexually assault the woman.

"Previous psychological reports have said Sumner clearly has a sexual propensity that requires treatment," she said.

Ms Wilkinson told the court that Sumner may be unwilling or incapable of controlling his sexual instincts.

If successful, the application would mean Sumner would be held in prison until at least two qualified medical practitioners agreed he was no longer a risk to the community.

The matter was referred to the Supreme Court to be heard at a later date.

The woman, now 72, had previously told the hearing she was approached from behind.

"As I got near the front of the car he came behind me and put one arm across me and the other over my mouth and then started to drag me back over the grass towards the back of the car," she said.

"Because he pulled me backwards, I lost balance so I was just trying to keep my balance as he dragged me to the back of the car.

"He tried to put me in the boot, he got hold of me. I was wearing a jacket, he got hold of the jacket and was pushing the top of my body into the car, into the boot."

The woman told the court she grabbed her attacker's clothing to try to stop him pushing her completely into the boot.

"I grabbed hold of his hoodie at the neck [and] hung on for dear life. I just hung on so he couldn't push me any further in because if he did he would have to go in as well."

The woman was treated in hospital for cuts and bruises to her face, head, back, arms and legs and got a dislocated finger when the attacker pulled her hand away from his clothes.

The woman said she remembered seeing the same man about 15 minutes earlier at a nearby car wash and recognised him immediately when police included his image in a photo line-up of 12 men.

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