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British backpacker beaten and raped in eight-week ordeal in outback Australia, police say British backpacker beaten and raped in eight-week ordeal in outback Australia, police say
(about 2 hours later)
A young British tourist allegedly held captive and repeatedly raped, beaten and choked during a two-month road trip through Queensland’s outback has been found during a routine traffic stop.A young British tourist allegedly held captive and repeatedly raped, beaten and choked during a two-month road trip through Queensland’s outback has been found during a routine traffic stop.
The 22-year-old was rescued on Sunday afternoon when police pulled over a four-wheel-drive at Mitchell, about 600km west of Brisbane, and found the terrified and injured woman at the wheel.The 22-year-old was rescued on Sunday afternoon when police pulled over a four-wheel-drive at Mitchell, about 600km west of Brisbane, and found the terrified and injured woman at the wheel.
She had facial fractures, bruises and cuts and when officers searched the vehicle, they found her alleged attacker hiding in a storage alcove in the back.She had facial fractures, bruises and cuts and when officers searched the vehicle, they found her alleged attacker hiding in a storage alcove in the back.
Inspector Paul Hart said the pair, who met in Cairns, had briefly been in “a relationship that’s obviously soured.”
“It’s tragic for the poor woman,” Hart told Guardian Australia.
Hart said police were investigating the possibility her alleged attacker had fled Cairns after a falling out with drug associates.
Police pulled over the vehicle after a petrol station worker reported it left without paying for fuel.
“It was on the face of it a pretty innocuous sort of job but from that she’s taken the opportunity to tell police what’s gone on and that fact that he’s still in the car,” Hart said.
“They’ve jumped on it from there and located him in the back portion where he’s retreated. They’ve obviously been living in the car.”
Police allege the woman was subjected to a series of sustained sexual and other attacks between 2 January and 5 March, on a journey that stretched at least 1360km from Cairns in the far north and south to the outback town of Roma.
An unnamed service station worker told the Daily Mail that she had offered to call police for the young woman after seeing her crying and “shaking uncontrollably”.
They spoke for 10 minutes before the woman left without paying, she said.
The woman is understood to be recovering in hospital in Brisbane.
A spokeswoman for the British high commission said consular officials were supporting the woman. “We are in really close contact with her and her family in the UK,” she said.
Hart said the pair may have been travelling to Charleville where the woman’s alleged attacker claimed to have lined up employment.
The 22-year-old man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda, has already faced court on more than 20 charges. They include four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four of strangulation and two of deprivation of liberty. He is also facing drug charges.The 22-year-old man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda, has already faced court on more than 20 charges. They include four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four of strangulation and two of deprivation of liberty. He is also facing drug charges.
“We would certainly say that what’s happened to this young lady is quite catastrophic,” Detective Inspector Paul Hart told ABC radio. “There are numerous supports that have been put in place [for the victim].” “We would certainly say that what’s happened to this young lady is quite catastrophic,” Hart earlier told ABC radio. “There are numerous supports that have been put in place [for the victim].”
Police said the British woman met her alleged attacker in Cairns, and they decided to embark on a road trip that quickly turned into a living nightmare. Police say the woman was rescued after a traffic stop on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell, just west of Roma, about 5pm on Sunday.
It’s alleged she was subjected to a series of sustained sexual and other attacks between 2 January and 5 March, on a journey that stretched at least 1360km from Cairns in the far north and south to the outback town of Roma.
Police say the woman was rescued after a routine traffic stop on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell, just west of Roma, about 5pm on Sunday.
“It appears she was terrified and not able to hide that [from officers],” police said on Tuesday.“It appears she was terrified and not able to hide that [from officers],” police said on Tuesday.
Investigators were still trying to piece together the pair’s movements, including where they might have stopped. The Cairns man remains in custody after facing a court in Roma on Monday.Comment has been sought from the British High Commission. The Cairns man remains in custody after facing a court in Roma on Monday.
Australian Associated Press contributed to this report