‘How am I going to survive this?’: Man pleads guilty to beating, raping stranger in own home

A MAN who broke into a single mum’s apartment with a plastic bag over his head before beating her and raping her has pleaded guilty

• Man, 25, faces charges of rape and threat to kill after alleged suburban attack
• Alleged Parap sex attacker faces court

A MAN who broke into a single mum’s Parap apartment with a plastic bag over his head before beating her, raping her and leaving her “begging for her life” has pleaded guilty to the horrific attack of a stranger.

Troy Benning, 25, appeared in the Darwin Supreme Court today and pleaded guilty to 10 charges including rape, attempted rape, cause serious harm and threaten to kill.

MORE CRIME & COURT NEWS

Zach Rolfe murder trial could be broadcast on YouTube, court hears

Heavily pregnant woman, 13-year-old boy arrested for drink driving overnight

Man, 60, arrested after stab victim flown to hospital with serious wound

The court heard Benning somehow broke into the victim’s first-floor apartment courtyard in Parap where the victim – a single mother of two – was up late baking in her kitchen while her kids slept in her bedroom.

He walked in with a plastic bag over his head with eye holes cut out and brandishing a pair of scissors before pushing her into her daughter’s bedroom and telling her to take her pants off.

When the victim used a small wooden stool to hit Benning he smashed a photo frame over her face and punched her over the head while the court heard she “begged for her life.”

He then cut off her shorts and underwear and wrapped part of the plastic bag around his penis before attempted several times to rape her.

Benning then punched her in the mouth and forced her to perform oral sex on her, while – according to the statement of agreed facts – the victim was thinking “How am I going to survive this?”

Troy Benning pleaded guilty to the horrific attack. Picture: NT Police

The victim eventually managed to knee Benning in the groin and run out the door, screaming out to her 10-year-old daughter for help.

Benning told the victim he would “come back to kill” her if she called the police before fleeing.

HOT NEW DEAL: Read everything for 28 days for just $1

Witnesses who saw Benning throw a bag containing the victim’s shorts into a bin down the road said he told them he’s just done a home invasion and bashed the man inside.

When asked why, Benning reportedly told them “he hates being alone.”

He was arrested a few days later by Tactical Response Group police in a house in Moulden.

Benning will return to court for sentencing next month.

Follow @MsSarahMatthews