Gene Charles Bristow denies kidnapping, raping European backpacker at his Meningie property

A man accused of kidnapping and raping a young European backpacker in a pig shed claims the woman’s account is “made up” a court has heard.

Alleged rapist Gene Bristow during a court visit to his property in Meningie Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

• 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

A man accused of kidnapping and raping a young European backpacker in a pig shed claims the woman’s account is “made up” a court has heard.

Gene Charles Bristow, 54, told Adelaide District Court the woman, 26, worked for him for one night, but could not handle the hot conditions.

Bristow has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated kidnapping and rape.

The court heard Bristow answered an ad she had posted on Gumtree for temporary farm work in February 2017.

In earlier evidence, the woman said Bristow pointed a gun at her back, bound her hands and feet, and chained her to the ground.

In her third day in the witness box yesterday, the woman denied defence suggestions she had falsified her account.

Nick Healy, for Bristow, told the court she was never chained up, but instead had agreed to camp out in the shed.

The alleged victim said he met her at a bus stop at regional Murray Bridge before taking her to a pig shed on his property at Meningie, about 150km southeast of Adelaide.

Once inside, he allegedly pointed a gun to her back, tied her up and raped her, before releasing her in Murray Bridge the next day.

Mr Healy said she spent the night there and started work in the morning but was startled by a bull and could not cope with the heat.

“You asked (Bristow) to find out the times that the bus went back to Adelaide from Murray Bridge because you couldn’t handle the conditions and you wanted to go,” he said.

“You have made up your evidence about being restrained and sexually assaulted, haven’t you?”

Prosecutors say she was released when Bristow checked her into a hotel. The court has heard she was eventually spotted by a police officer after leaving the hotel to buy a McDonald’s meal.

Mr Healy asked the woman why she did not go to the police after Bristow left her alone, to which she replied she was “too afraid to trust anyone” and intended to return home to Europe.

The trial continues before Judge Geraldine Davison and a jury.