Salt Creek kidnapper Roman Heinze confronts daughter Kendehl in court

Roman Heinze has been confronted in court by the daughter he sought to intimidate - who refused to back down on his defamation accusation.

The daughter of the Salt Creek backpacker kidnapper has stared him down during a closed court settlement conference and refused to capitulate to his claims of defamation.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Kendehl Heinze saw her father, Roman, via video link - the first time they have seen one another since the breakdown of their relationship.

Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis declined to permit The Advertiser to attend the settlement conference, which was called in an effort to resolve the legal dispute.

Kendehl Heinze and her legal team outside of Adelaide Magistrates court on Wednesday. Picture: RoyVPhotography

Outside court Kendehl’s lawyer, Andrew Carpenter, said anything discussed in a settlement conference “was confidential”.

Kendehl Heinze outside Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Roman Heinze.

“Our position is and remains that a person of his background is someone who cannot be defamed,” he said.

Kendehl said seeing her father had been confronting, but only for a moment.

“I feel a lot stronger knowing that I have a voice (in the proceedings),” she said.

“You can’t defeat me, Dad.”

Heinze, 68, is funding a challenge to his 17-year-prison term with $100,000 obtained by threatening to sue his children over their inheritance.

After prison authorities banned him from sending abusive letters to Kendehl, he filed papers claiming she had defamed him by speaking publicly about his February 2016 crimes.

Last month, the court rejected Kendehl’s bid to have Heinze’s case thrown out, despite it having broken every rule about lawsuits, to protect his “right to be heard”.

Originally published as Salt Creek kidnapper Roman Heinze confronts daughter Kendehl in court