Former flame of Robert Hytch whose case is similar to Rachel Antonio says romance ended in violence

A FORMER girlfriend has revealed how a romance with Queensland lifeguard Robert Hytch, the man a missing schoolgirl would later claim was her secret lover, ended in violence.

SHE was 16 and kept a diary recording a budding romance with lifeguard Robert Hytch. But she said it all ended in violence and a trip to hospital.

This wasn’t missing schoolgirl Rachel Antonio – it was another teenager Mr Hytch dated about five years before Rachel vanished.

For the first time, new podcast series Searching for Rachel Antonio details the witness statements of Mr Hytch’s former girlfriend.

The statements were tendered in evidence at the inquest and were in the brief of evidence the coroner sent to The Courier-Mail.

Juanita Orton told police she met Mr Hytch when she was at Bowen High School and they started having sex when she was 16.

Sexual encounters allegedly took place on beaches in Bowen. Pic: Peter Wallis

Mr Hytch was several years older and had left school, but would visit during breaks between classes.

Her witness statement reads: “We would sit at the tables inside the schoolyard and just talk. He would come at lunch or recess times and leave when I went back to class.”

The podcast reveals parallels between claims in Ms Orton’s witness statement and claims in Rachel Antonio’s diary and letters.

Ms Orton said she once had sex with Robert out in the open at a beach – she even drew police a map of where she said it had happened.

Likewise, Rachel claimed in her diary that she had had sexual encounters with Mr Hytch at beaches. But Mr Hytch has denied he ever had an intimate relationship with Rachel.

Ms Orton said they would go “parking” at beachside areas including Bowen’s Kings Beach. Rachel claimed she went for drives with Mr Hytch too.

Rachel Antonio was last seen on Anzac Day, 1998.

Ms Orton’s relationship with Mr Hytch ended in an argument that spun out of control, ­according to her police statement.

She claimed she accused Mr Hytch of sleeping with a friend she was staying with in a caravan.

“The fight became physical and Robert punched me in the left eye with a fist,” the statement alleges.

“Robert was very sorry after he done it and carried me out of the caravan and put me in his car and took me to hospital. I was punching Robert as well during the fight. I can’t recall who hit who first.”

She did not take her complaint to police at the time and Mr Hytch was never charged over the incident.

Mr Hytch’s solicitor Kevin Baxter said he had declined to comment on the assault allegations.

Follow the bold links to listen to Searching for Rachel Antonio:

iPhone or iPad users search for “rachel antonio podcast” on iTunes — by clicking subscribe, each weekly episode will appear on your podcast app.

Android users can listen by following The Courier-Mail on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/couriermail.