Man arrested after regional Qld woman allegedly held captive and beaten in Stanthorpe motel room

’You’re gonna do and say whatever I tell you’: A regional Queensland court has been told a woman was allegedly held captive and assaulted in a motel room for hours just days after miscarrying.

A Stanthorpe woman was allegedly held captive by two men in an alleged robbery. Picture: File

A regional Queensland man who was allegedly involved in a “terrifying” and “violent” robbery, where a woman was allegedly held captive in a Southern Downs motel room for hours, has been remanded in custody.

Police allege that on Saturday, August 3, 42-year-old Raymond Frederick Glenroy Darcy went to a Stanthorpe motel armed with a metal pole, with others in search of a man, Daniel McCarthy.

However, when the trio arrived a woman and children were in the room instead.

When Mr Darcy, a Stanthorpe father of one who cares for his uncle, applied for bail before a Toowoomba magistrate on Wednesday, August 7, the court was told he went to the motel because of an alleged longstanding vendetta.

View of Stanthorpe, three hours southwest of Brisbane, taken from Mount Marley. Picture: Liana Turner

In his opposition to bail, police prosecutor Rohan Brewster-Webb told the court Mr Darcy had a lengthy criminal history which mostly related to drug offending and one violent offence of affray from 2021.

In the bail objection affidavit, Southern Downs police said he was a known addict who was allegedly involved in the drug trade across the Stanhope area.

The court was told the woman was allegedly robbed and assaulted two days after miscarrying, and that she was quite reluctant to speak with police.

Mr Brewster-Webb said it was not known at what stage of pregnancy the woman was at, however “that in itself is quite a concerning (alleged) act for a person to commit on the ground”.

“The violence associated with this (overall incident) is very very concerning and quite significant,” he said.

“I can’t speak to the exact motives from here and that may come out in time.”

Night of alleged horror

The court was told hours before Mr Darcy arrived at the Southern Downs hotel, one of his alleged co-offenders had allegedly tried to fight the woman and Mr McCarthy.

Police allege the woman left the motel after the initial incident and returned with Mr Darcy and her father.

Police allege Mr Darcy, armed with a metal bar, smashed his way into the room screaming “coming in, you can’t hide”, before looking for Mr McCarthy.

Darcy spent three nights in the Toowoomba watch-house in limbo before his bail application was refused on August 7, 2024.

The co-accused allegedly “looted through the unit,” and demanded the “incredibly fearful and distressed” mother to tell them where Mr McCarthy was, and to hand over her belongings.

The court was told she offered up what little cash, cannabis, and cigarettes she had.

It’s alleged during the assault, Mr Darcy stomped on the woman’s stomach while she lay on the ground, after miscarrying two days prior.

It’s also alleged he smashed her phone and told her she “wasn’t allowed to leave,” and “don’t try to run away”.

No one is allowed to leave

The court was told then motel manager went to see what was going on, the woman indicated she was okay and nothing was wrong.

The co-accused allegedly tried to leave in the victim’s car, out of fear of the police arriving, but Mr Darcy allegedly said they needed to “stick to the plan,” and figure out a way to lure Mr McCarthy back to the unit.

“We’re going to get Danny back here,” Mr Darcy allegedly told the victim.

“You’re going to help us. You’re gonna do and say whatever I tell you to get him back here, then he’s going nine feet in the ground.”

The court was told the woman pleaded for them to leave and there were children in the unit and that the three were in the hotel room for a period of time before police arrived on the scene at 4am, where all three were arrested.

Police said if released on bail Darcy posed a risk the alleged victim and witnesses.

Bail refused after cops told of alleged revenge

While in custody, the court was told Darcy allegedly told a detective that if he ever saw Mr McCarthy in the street he would “bash him”.

“As long as my arse is pointing to the ground, nothing will stop me from putting McCarthy in the ground,” he allegedly told police.

In line with police’s opposition to Mr Darcy being released on bail, magistrate Mark Howden refused to grant the application noting the alleged crime was “extremely violent in nature”, and if found guilty, he would likely serve actual jail time.

“I particularly note the (threatening) comments that the defendants made to the police,” he said.

“I am of the view … he is an unacceptable risk … that he would commit further offences and further that he would endanger the safety or welfare of both the victims in the matter.”

A brief of evidence was ordered and the case will next be mentioned at Stanthorpe Magistrates Court on August 28.

Mr Darcy was remanded in custody on eight changes, which include deprivation of liberty, robbery while armed with personal violence, breaking into the unit to commit a crime, unlawful use of a car, wilful damage, and drug possession.

Following the co-accused’s arrest, she was granted bail to appear in court in October.

Originally published as Man arrested after regional Qld woman allegedly held captive and beaten in Stanthorpe motel room