'Nothing impressive about that': British tourist responds to teen's croc stunt

Sam Hussey

Updated 20 March 2017 at 6:21 pm

After a smitten teen jumped into crocodile infested waters to win her affection, the British backpacker he attempted to woo said she’d have to be “quite twisted” to be impressed by the stunt.

Lee de Paauw, 18, nearly lost his arm fighting off a saltwater crocodile after jumping into the the Johnstone River at Innisfail in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Backpacker Sophie Paterson denied claims she dared the 18-year-old to jump into the Johnstone river after her “first experience drinking goon” during a night out with Mr de Paauw and friends.

Mr de Paauw escaped with two broken bones and two gouges on his left arm that are still to be stitched. But his drunken attempt at impressing Ms Paterson with his daring swim appears to have failed.

“Look I would have to be quite twisted to be impressed by that, nothing is impressive about that,” she told Sunrise.

“Risking your life, there is nothing funny about that ... in all honesty, it was a horrific experience. I was pretty shaken up.

The teenager is recovering in hospital after he launched himself into crocodile infested waters.

Sunrise hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch were left in stitches after speaking to the British backpacker. Source: Sunrise

“It was my first experience drinking goon … it was chilled out, then he decided to jump in with the crocodiles.”

If undergoing urgent treatment in hospital wasn’t bad enough, the recovering north Queenslander might be waiting a while for a visit from the 24-year-old tourist.

“I had the intention of driving the bus to the hospital the next morning, but he was moved to Cairns,” Ms Paterson added.

“I have a commitment to a job that I can’t get out of.”

It was out of hospital and into the friendzone for the smitten teenager. Source: Sunrise

The tourist said she had no idea how dangerous the river was when she watched the teenager jump in. Source: Facebook

Meanwhile the recovering teen has left hospital and said he had no intentions of popping back into the river anytime soon.

“No, I wouldn’t (go back in there),” he told Nova FM radio.

“I’ve been in that river before you know, and I didn’t expect it to happen.”

It's since been reported that he consumed ['10 cups of goon'|https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/34735510/teen-croc-victim-drank-10-cups-of-goon/]

After consoling her distraught mother back home, Ms Patterson said she now plans to stay in Australia with her friend Steve and carry out their work in Innisfail.