This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/11/backpacker-screaming-for-help-after-escaping-alleged-attacker-in-south-australia
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Foreign backpackers in alleged kidnap and sex assault at South Australia campsite | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Two female foreign backpackers were allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted by an Australian man in an isolated region of South Australia, who is now facing charges including attempted murder. | |
The women had met their alleged attacker in a rural area more than 100km from Adelaide. The man drove them to a campsite at Salt Creek in Coorong national park, where he allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted and attempted to kill the women. | |
Police were called after one of the women escaped her alleged attacker and found a group of fishermen camping on a nearby beach. One of the fishermen told the Adelaide Advertiser the woman ran towards him, screaming: “He’s going to kill us all.” | |
A 59-year-old South Australian man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and unlawful sexual intercourse with the two women. The man did not apply for bail and was taken into custody on Thursday. | |
At a media conference on Thursday, South Australian police superintendent James Blandford said the women were found in a “dire” situation. | |
“Given the nature of the charges, their situation was obviously very dire and they were somewhat distressed,” he said. “One of the victims was able to run away and came across some people who were fishing in the area,” he said. | |
“They were able to comfort and secure her and make a call to the police.” | |
The second woman was later found by rescuers in the sand dunes. The woman had sustained serious injuries. | |
One of the fishermen, Abdul-Karim Mohammed, said the scene was confronting, with the woman screaming, crying and yelling. | |
“First of all she just started waving,” he told Seven News. “She looked at us. She didn’t know what was going on. She ran straight to the car yelling. She opened the back door, jumped straight in and like ‘Get me out of here, get me out of here. He’s going to kill us all.’ | |
“First of all she had no clothes on so we just straight away gave her our jacket. | “First of all she had no clothes on so we just straight away gave her our jacket. |
“She had some scratches and that on the legs. Look liked she’d been pulled around, dragged around and that.” | “She had some scratches and that on the legs. Look liked she’d been pulled around, dragged around and that.” |
A police statement issued on Wednesday said: “At 6.30pm on Tuesday 9 February, police were called to the Coorong national park after reports of an assault. Two women were transported to the Flinders medical centre with serious injuries. Both remain at the hospital in a stable condition.” | |
“The 59-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and kidnapping.” | |
“Murray Bridge CIB [Criminal Investigation Branch] are investigating and Major Crime Investigation Branch detectives are assisting.” | |
The court suppressed the man’s name and police have not revealed the women’s nationalities to protect their identities. | The court suppressed the man’s name and police have not revealed the women’s nationalities to protect their identities. |
The man will face court again in April. |