Couple charged over alleged torture, rape of young Warwick woman back in court

The Warwick woman and Gatton man who allegedly tortured and raped a 22-year-old woman during a terrifying hours-long assault have had their matters returned to court this week. *Warning: distressing content*

A pair accused of kidnapping a young Warwick woman and holding her captive as they carried out a horrifying hours-long assault including torture, beatings, and rape have had their matters brought back before the courts this week.

The Gatton man and Warwick woman, who cannot yet be named for legal reasons, are both currently in custody and did not appear in person when their cases were mentioned in Warwick Magistrates Court.

Both co-accused face one charge each of bestiality, torture, rape, kidnapping, extortion, assault occasioning bodily harm, robbery while armed in company, recording in breach of privacy, and common assault.

The man is charged with an additional two counts of rape and the woman, who is aged in her 40s, faces an unrelated charge of possessing drug utensils.

Police claim the man, aged in his 50s, went to the alleged victim’s home on the evening of February 25 and demanded she get in his vehicle, then picked up his co-accused on the way to another house in the Warwick CBD.

The pair allegedly held the 22-year-old woman against her will and tortured her for hours, including the man beating her legs with a metal bar and the woman holding a large kitchen knife to her throat.

It will be further alleged the Gatton man raped the woman both digitally and with his penis before the Warwick woman used a male pitbull dog to rape the victim while her co-accused filmed it on his phone.

Police say the pair also forced the woman to call the Warwick CIB and leave a voicemail falsely confessing to being involved in another criminal matter before releasing her.

Officers searched the home where the pair were staying the next day, where they allegedly found the Warwick woman with a bracelet and phone stolen from the 22-year-old and the graphic recording filmed on the Gatton man’s phone.

The Warwick court heard this week that the Warwick woman’s defence counsel would receive a full brief of evidence this week, while that for the man’s charges had been disclosed close to two months ago with little progress since.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess adjourned the Gatton man’s case to June 20, telling both legal parties she would want an indication by the next mention as to how the matter would proceed to a higher court.

The Warwick woman’s case will next be brought before the court on July 13.

Both co-accused will be remanded in custody until their next court dates and will not be required to appear in person.