A British backpacker was allegedly held captive in Australia and repeatedly raped in an ordeal lasting two months.
The 22-year-old woman was allegedly choked and assaulted while held against her will until Sunday when police pulled over the vehicle she was driving in the outback in Queensland.
Queensland Police said officers noticed she was visibly distressed and had injuries to her face before they found a man, also 22, hiding in a small alcove in the vehicle.
He was arrested and appeared in court on Monday charged with a string of offences, including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault and four counts of strangulation.
Beverly Page, the owner of a service station which caught the woman on CCTV shortly before being rescued, said: “She was distressed and she was crying and she had two black eyes and she had marks on the side of her neck.”
Police said the alleged offences began on January 2 and took place up until the arrest in Warrego Highway, Mitchell, which is around 300 miles from Brisbane on Australia’s east coast.
Officers believe the woman met the suspect, who is from the Manunda suburb of Cairns, a month before the alleged attacks began.
She was treated for the injuries to her face as well as bruising and cuts to her body.
The suspect also appeared in custody at Roma Magistrates’ Court accused of two counts of deprivation of liberty, two counts of wilful damage, one count of possessing dangerous drugs, one count of possessing drug utensils and one count of obstructing police.