Gene Bristow accused of luring a backpacker with farmhand work then raping her, but his son says no farmhands were ever needed

The son of a man accused of kidnapping and raping a backpacker, after luring her to his Meningie property to work as a farmhand, has told a District Court jury the farm had never required the use of a farmhand.

• Day 1: Farmer chained backpacker to pig shed, raped her, court told
• Day 2: Woman tells jury she feared Bristow would kill her
• Day 3: Backpacker feared she would never see her family again
• Day 4: Accused denies kidnap and rape

The son of a man accused of kidnapping and raping a backpacker, after luring her to his Meningie property to work as a farmhand, has told a court the farm had never required the use of a farmhand.

David Bristow told the District Court jury he had managed the 40ha property since the arrest of his father — Gene Charles Bristow — in February 2017, and spent about an hour and a half each week managing the hobby farm while working elsewhere full time.

Gene Bristow is standing trial after pleading not guilty to multiple offences including the kidnapping and rape of the 24-year-old European backpacker.

Gene Bristow, in blue short sleeved shirt, with sheriff’s officers on his property in Meningie. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

Prosecutors allege Gene Bristow had lured the woman to his property after she posted on Gumtree seeking farm work.

They allege he shackled her with cable ties and chains to a couch in an old, dirty pig shed, repeatedly sexually abused her and threatened to shoot her if she tried to flee.

On Tuesday, David Bristow said he “wouldn’t know” how well the farm was operating as a business at the time, but said it was “probably paying enough to break even”.

Michael Foundas, prosecuting, asked if anyone had ever worked on the farm.

David Bristow said “only the neighbour would help from time to time but it was never a paid thing.”

He said he had also helped his father out when required, and had run the property since his father’s arrest, working for about an hour and a half each week.

Police at the property where the backpacker’s alleged ordeal occurred. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Mr Foundas asked if a farmhand had ever been employed on the farm, or if he was aware of farmhand work being advertised for the property.

“Never,” David Bristow said to both.
“Was there enough work in February 2017 that actually required the assistance of a farmhand?” Mr Foundas asked.

“Absolutely not”.

He told the jury the former pig shed, which could not be seen from the homestead where he lived with his parents, was used only about once a year to keep calves out of the wind and rain in winter.

David Bristow told the jury his father was out of work at the time of the backpacker’s alleged ordeal, and had not had a job for about six months prior.

When shown the chains allegedly used as shackles, David Bristow said he had never seen them before and he did not know of a legitimate use for them on the farm.

The jury has previously heard the woman had managed to break free from her shackles to use her laptop to send messages of distress to family and friends and SA Police.

She then re-chained herself because she was too scared to escape.

The jury also heard Gene Bristow became nervous when police were present in the area, and took the woman back to Murray Bridge where he had picked her up a day earlier.

She was then recognised by police.

The trial continues.