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Alleged rape victim's Belgian cop father was key to her rescue

The father of the Belgian tourist allegedly imprisoned and raped on a farming property in outback South Australia is a high-ranking police officer whose colleagues secured vital information for local detectives.

The 24-year-old female backpacker was allegedly held captive on a farming property in Meningie a fortnight ago and was found after she managed to send two messages asking for help from a laptop, police said.

One message was sent to a friend in Queensland, the other to a friend back in Belgium 16,000 kilometres away.

The Belgian tourist was found in a Murray Bridge motel room on February 10. Pictures: 7 News
The Belgian tourist was found in a Murray Bridge motel room on February 10. Pictures: 7 News

The tourist was found in a motel room in Murray Bridge on February 10.

Her alleged attacker, a 52-year-old man, was arrested the following day after police raided his Meninige property.

Seven News today revealed the woman's father is a police commissioner in Belgium.

Her alleged attacker, a 52-year-old man, has been charged with rape and unlawful detention. Picture: 7 News
Her alleged attacker, a 52-year-old man, has been charged with rape and unlawful detention. Picture: 7 News

It was his colleagues who secured key information for South Australian detectives that led to his daughter's rescue and her alleged captor's arrest.

After sending a message back to the distressed tourist, 7 News has been told computer crime officers from Belgium then obtained the IP address and GPS coordinates of the laptop she used, and passed that information on to local police.

Belgian police spokesperson Thomas Detavernier told 7 News via Skype the top cop was “very worried" about his daughter, so his team banded together to support him.

Police raid the man's Meningie property. Picture: 7 News
Police raid the man's Meningie property. Picture: 7 News

“It wasn't really specified what kind of trouble but it was alarming enough for us to get in touch with the police services in Australia to start up a search and rescue," Mr Detavernier said.

“It was really an experience for us, for our local computer crime unit.”

Mr Detavernier commended all parties involved in the search for remaining calm in what he said could have been a highly stressful situation.

The Meningie man was charged with rape and unlawful detention.