Kyle McKell: Alice Springs motocross racer jailed for deprivation of liberty, rape

An Alice Springs tradie and motocross racer picked a woman up for consensual sex at his house, but then took her to a hill outside of town against her will before raping her, a court has heard.

Alice Springs motocross competitor Kyle McKell, 27. Picture: Facebook

An Alice Springs tradie and well-known motocross racer picked a woman up for consensual sex at his house, but then took her to a hill outside of town against her will before raping her, a court has heard.

Kyle McKell, 27, was found guilty by a jury on October 6 last year of sexual intercourse without consent and deprivation of liberty.

On March 8, he was jailed for three years by Supreme Court Justice John Burns.

The balance of the sentence will be suspended for an operational period of two years once McKell has served 12 months.

Both offences were committed at Undoolya Hill, east of Alice Springs, in 2021.

The court heard McKell and the woman organised to have sex at the house he shared with his brother after connecting via the dating app Tinder.

However, after picking her up, McKell instead made a beeline for the hill as his brother was still awake.

The victim did not want this and asked McKell to take her back to her friend’s house.

Instead, McKell responded, “No, we’ll just go out here for a bit.”

Undoolya Hill, east of Alice Springs. Picture: Facebook

Justice Burns found that this was the point at which the deprivation of liberty commenced.

“As you drove out of town, [the woman] believed that you were going to drive her out into the bush, and she felt scared and intimidated,” he said.

“She did not know what was going to happen.

“She asked you again to take her home while you continued to drive.

“[The woman] did not want to be in the car and felt that you would not stop the car.”

Once at Undoolya Hill, a “dark, remote bush location,” McKell attempted to kiss his victim, which she rebuffed physically and verbally.

“I am satisfied that at this point, you were aware that [she] did not want to engage in sexual activity with you,” Justice Burns said.

Nevertheless, McKell digitally raped her.

She told McKell to “f--- off” and pulled his hands out of her pants using both of her hands, the court heard.

Alice Springs Supreme Court. Picture: Katie Hall

The woman was driven back to Alice Springs after about 45 minutes.

In a victim impact statement, she said she suffered “continuing psychological difficulties” as a result of the rape.

The court heard McKell had a good work history, establishing his own carpentry/construction business during a stint living in Perth, and a lack of prior criminal offending.

He had recently become engaged and was also a keen dirt bike rider, and volunteered his time at junior motocross races.

Fourteen character references were submitted by friends, colleagues and relatives, all attesting to McKell’s status as a “hardworking, decent, trustworthy and respectful young man, for whom the present offending is completely out of character.”

McKell will be released from custody on March 7.