British backpacker ‘raped, bashed in hostage ordeal’
UPDATE: CCTV footage showing the British woman involved in a “catastrophic” hostage ordeal shortly before she was rescued by Queensland police has been released.
Crime & Justice
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A YOUNG British woman allegedly held captive and repeatedly raped, bashed and choked during a nightmare road trip through outback Queensland has been saved by a petrol service station worker who alerted police after she drove off without paying for fuel.
The 22-year-old backpacker was rescued about 5pm on Sunday when police pulled over a four-wheel drive at Mitchell, about 600km west of Brisbane, and found the terrified and injured woman behind the wheel.
7 News at 6pm: Security pictures of the British backpacker rescued from a hostage situation in outback Queensland. https://t.co/vzWoLJY1m7 pic.twitter.com/1lTOT8Vbwf
— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) March 7, 2017
Police said when they pulled over the 4WD, officers immediately realised something was wrong.
Detective Inspector Paul Hart said Mitchell police officers had observed her injuries and demeanour and continued to investigate, before finding the man in the back of the vehicle.
“It appears she was terrified and not able to hide that (from officers),” police said.
“She told police the perpetrator was actually hiding in the vehicle. Police have then searched the vehicle and found him in the rear compartment amongst property belonging to the pair.”
It’s alleged the woman suffered a series of sustained attacks between January 2 and March 5.
She had facial fractures, bruises and cuts, and when officers searched the vehicle, they found her alleged attacker hiding in a storage alcove in the back, police said.
Det Insp Hart praised the woman for assisting them with their investigation.
“What she’s experienced is no doubt horrific and terrifying and we commend her for taking the opportunity to speak to our police out in Mitchell,” he said on Tuesday.
“It has taken great courage for our victim to provide the detail she has.”
Insp Hart said a lot of the places the young British tourist was forced to visit would have been unknown to her, making it even harder for her to escape. “We have potentially saved this young girl’s life, given what’s happened to her, the extent of what’s happened and over the period of time, anything may have transpired,” he said.
The Courier-Mail understands the man, who was understood to have told police he was sleeping in the back of the vehicle, was trying to travel to Charleville for work he had lined up before he was arrested.
SERVO WORKER ALERTS POLICE
EARLIER reports suggested the car was pulled over during a routine traffic stop but the woman only came to the attention of police because she didn’t pay for petrol at a service station in Mitchell.
The worker, who did not want to be named, said the young woman told the service station’s boss she had no money and her ex-boyfriend had her purse.
“The boss thought the girl was running away from an abusive relationship,” she said.
“She went back out to the car supposedly to ring someone and then drove away.”
The worker said her boss called police, but an automated answering service told her she had to fill in a report online.
“To do that the boss needed the registration number, so she jumped in the car and followed the car so she could get the number,” they said.
She came across a police car along the way and told the officers what happened and they pursued the vehicle.
“We would certainly say that what’s happened to this young lady is quite catastrophic,” Detective Inspector Paul Hart told the ABC.
“When located, we will allege that the male person was secreted in the back section of the vehicle which made it quite difficult to find him.”
MULTIPLE CHARGES LAID
THE 22-year-old man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda, is facing more than 20 charges, including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four of strangulation, and two of deprivation of liberty.
“I think its worth noting that one of the wilful damage charges is in relation to her passport,” Det Insp Hart said.
Police have also charged him with drug offences after they allegedly seized a small amount of MDMA and a pipe.
He applied for bail but was refused when he faced a court in Roma yesterday. He is due to face court again on May 23.
ALLEGED ABUSE DATES BACK TO FEBRUARY
THE pair met on January 27 at a “bush doof” in north Queensland and formed a relationship.
They left Cairns last week and travelled to Gordonvale, Bowen, Banana, Roma and then Mitchell.
Police allege the man began abusing the woman at the beginning of February and that she was held against her will inside a Cairns hotel room.
One of the rape charges relates to a date between February 3 and February 28.
The other three rape offences and the deprivation of liberty charge relate to their car trip between March 1 and 5.
“Obviously it is quite serious,” acting Sergeant David Harper, the arresting officer, said.
“They have formed some sort of relationship,” Detective Inspector Paul Hart said.
“By her account, that has soured to the point that whilst they were travelling around she has tried to leave but was held against her will.
“And she was subjected to quite a significant level of violence and some fairly catastrophic offences.
SERIOUS PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURIES
“SHE has shown police a number of injuries she has sustained,” Det Insp Hart said.
“As a result of speaking to her, she has disclosed she has been held against her will.”
“She had facial fractures, marks across her neck and he has been charged with four counts of strangulation.
“From our investigations it would seem as though they have been living in that vehicle and we’ll be alleging that they’ve travelled throughout different parts of the state with her basically been told to take him to different locations.
“And throughout the course of that, there have been property-type offences up and down the coast.
“We think she has been held against her will for anywhere between a week and two weeks.”
Det Insp Hart said the woman’s “very prolonged” ordeal had left her with physical and serious psychological injuries, and her mental health was a priority.
WOMAN’S PASSPORT ‘DESTROYED’
DETECTIVE inspector Hart said the woman remained in hospital undergoing treatment, and additional statements would be taken from her in coming days, The Western Star reported.
He said the woman, who arrived in Australia in 2015, was in the country legally and still had time on her visa but had indicated to police she would remain in the country to see the matter through the legal process if possible.
Her passport had been destroyed “at some point”, he said.
“Early indication is that she wishes to pursue the charges,” Det. Insp. Hart said.
“She can do that, under a Criminal Justice visa, and we are very mindful of that.
“We have made sure she has the appropriate support with her.
“We believe at some point her passport was disposed of so there needs to be support with that.”
A spokeswoman for the British High Commission said: “We are supporting a British woman following an incident in Queensland and remain in contact with local authorities.”
Sgt Harper said the woman was under care and police were in the process of applying for a domestic violence protection order.
Investigations continue.
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