'He never left her side': The man accused of taking backpacker hostage
The man accused of holding a backpacker hostage in a terrifying two-month ordeal was pictured seemingly enjoying a joyride on the hood of a moving car, before his arrest.
Video of the Cairns man charged with offences, including rape and deprivation of liberty, shows him ‘sunning’ himself on the car appearing to have the time of his life, shirtless with his arms spread out wide.
The man’s face cannot be shown, however he can be heard ‘wooing’ and giving ‘the finger’ to the camera.
Another photo shows him posing legs spread and arms wide on the Mitsubishi Pajero, the car allegedly involved in the horror ordeal.
The accused faces charges of rape and assault. Photo: 7 News.
It’s alleged a 22-year-old British backpacker was kidnapped by the accused, who she met at a "bush doof" dance in Cairns in late January.
“He just rocked up, they hooked up and he never left her side,” a friend of the backpacker told 7 News.
“A lot of the areas would’ve been unknown to her and (she) wouldn’t have known anyone there so it would’ve been difficult for her to make an escape.”
The instincts of a service station owner at Mitchell led to her calling police who stopped the Pajero on the Warrego Highway in a seemingly routine traffic stop on Sunday.
A Cairns man is in custody, charged with numerous offences, including rape, assault and deprivation of liberty.
It's alleged the backpacker met the accused during a party in Cairns. Photo: 7 News.
CCTV taken from inside the petrol station in Queensland.
CCTV from the Mitchell petrol station filmed the final moments of the tourists’ two-month ordeal during which she was allegedly held against her will and raped repeatedly.
It shows the young backpacker walk into the Queensland service station, injured and desperate.
At the time she didn’t know she was only minutes from freedom.
The security camera filmed her moments, as she explained to owner Beverley Page that she was unable to pay.
“She was very upset she was crying and she was shaking very badly and she was very pale. And she had two black eyes and marks on her neck,” Ms Page said.
The footage showed the tourist return to the car with her alleged captor hiding inside.
Ms Page tipped off police to the car, a Nissan Pajero, and it was pulled over a short time later.
Ms Page tipped off police to the car and it was pulled over a short time later.
“Im just glad that they've got him and hopefully she will be ok,” Ms Page said.
Queensland Police inspector Paul Hart said the woman had advised that over a period of weeks she had been held against her will by a man in the car.
She claimed the pair had previously had a relationship, but it had soured.
Police found a 22-year-old Cairns man in the back of the Pajero.
He is now accused of the rape and assault of the backpacker, while the pair travelled across Queensland after meeting at a party.
Still from the CCTV inside the service station.
The woman suffered facial fractures - cuts and bruises. Police are now piecing together a more complete picture of the 1300km ordeal, including the route they took and when the assaults occurred.
The woman, who is believed to have been in Australia on a tourist visa since 2015, is understood to have made contact with family back in England, and is receiving treatment and support from local authorities.
Inspector Hart said the woman had shown remarkable courage throughout her nightmare ordeal.
"The opinion of the investigators and myself is we have potentially saved this young girl's life," he said.
