Police praise bravery of grandfather who escaped bindings and house blaze
TIED up and bashed unconscious, a grandfather was left to die in a burning house by kidnappers in a violent custody dispute. But the 68-year-old managed to free himself and crawl from the flames to alert neighbours. Three men have been charged.
NSW
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TIED up and bashed unconscious, a grandfather was left to die in a burning house by kidnappers in a violent custody dispute.
But showing remarkable powers of recovery, the 68-year-old managed to free himself at the rural property, and crawled from the flames to alert neighbours.
It sparked a police hunt for the three men who abducted his family, which ended with a dramatic capture in Sydney, 450km away.
The drama began after the man’s two teenage grandsons and their 41-year-old mother were staying with him and his wife at their rural property in Ootha, near Condobolin.
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Police allege that the younger woman’s 44-year-old ex-partner and two men, aged 23 and 29, broke into the house just after 5am on Tuesday and repeatedly assaulted the grandfather before tying him up and dragging him into a room at the rear of the home.
After the ex-partner allegedly forced the woman, the grandmother and the boys, aged 13 and 14, into a waiting car, the two other assailants allegedly poured 20 litres of petrol in the house before setting it alight and locking a gate with the grandfather inside.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said his escape was amazing.
“I think it is extraordinary considering his age,” Mr Smith said.
“He had to break free from his bindings. He fell in and out of consciousness a number of times throughout the four-hour ordeal.
“He received head injuries throughout the assault. Hats off to his bravery in terms of what he did next, which was he thought of the others and alerted neighbours.
“He is very lucky, as they all are, that we have been able to resolve this matter without loss of life.”
Police launched a hunt for the two cars. The grandmother and the boys escaped when one vehicle stopped on Putty Rd in Windsor.
The ex-partner continued with the mother before being apprehended in bushland.
The two younger men were tracked to Sackville, where they allegedly tried to run over a police officer before they were arrested.
Heavily armed police have rescued a family north of Windsor. after a terrifying alleged kidnapping in Ootha. Three men have been arrested. @KristianGaupset #7News pic.twitter.com/iA4dgiwqlG
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) October 9, 2018
Mr Smith called the case baffling.
“There’s so many moving parts in this investigation and in this operation — I don’t know if I’ve experienced one so complex as to what was required to get this resolved,” he said.
All three men were charged with kidnapping offences and lighting a fire with intent to murder. The two younger men were refused bail at Penrith Court on Wednesday and the older man will face the same court on Thursday.