Man admits to raping backpacker, holding her captive on bush road trip

A MAN has admitted to the rape and kidnapping of a British backpacker who he had a brief liaison with before holding her captive on a road trip through the Queensland bush in 2017.

LEGAL CAUTION ON ID Facebook image of Marcus Martin who is accused of kidnapping a British backpacker in Queensland.

A CAIRNS man has admitted to the rape and kidnapping of a British backpacker he had a brief liaison with before holding her captive on a road trip in 2017 through the Queensland bush.

The British backpacker, who cannot be identified.

Marcus Allyn Keith Martin, 24, pleaded guilty in the Cairns District Court on Friday to three counts of rape and one of deprivation of liberty. He had previously admitted a range of charges including assaulting her.

The bruised and battered Liverpool woman was rescued by police on an outback highway near Mitchell, about 600km west of Brisbane, after driving off from a petrol station without paying for fuel.

Caltex Mitchell manager Beverley Page told reporters at the time it was clear the woman, crying and shaking, was in a bad way when she explained she couldn’t pay for fuel because her ex-boyfriend had her wallet.

Officers pulled their 4WD over on the Warrego Highway and found the man hiding in the back of the vehicle.

Police pulled over the pair’s vehicle after the woman failed to pay for petrol. Picture: Channel 7

It had been alleged the man first met the British backpacker in Cairns and became involved in a brief relationship with her.

When it soured, he subjected her to weeks of physical abuse, and forced her to drive him down the Queensland coast and towards Charleville in outback Queensland.

Martin was found hiding in the back of the vehicle.

Judge Tracy Fantin on Friday remanded him in custody until his next court appearance on February 11, 2019, when a sentence date is likely to be set.

Martin had previously pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including assault, and 11 of the 15 remaining against him were discontinued on Friday, when he pleaded guilty to four.

Originally published as Man admits to raping backpacker, holding her captive on bush road trip