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'Utterly depraved': Salt Creek attacker Roman Heinze jailed for at least 17 years

Roman Heinze, who kidnapped and attacked two European tourists on a remote South Australian beach, was an "utterly depraved" man who committed his crimes to fulfil his "perverted sexual fantasies and desires", a judge has said.

Heinze was sentenced in South Australia's Supreme Court on Wednesday morning to 22 years and four months in jail, with a 17 year non-parole period backdated to his arrest .

The 61-year-old was previously found guilty of six charges including indecent assault, aggravated kidnapping and endangering life in relation to the incidents at the remote beach in Coorong National Park in South Australia in February last year.

Roman Heinze will spend at least the next 17 years behind bars. Photos: Supplied
Roman Heinze will spend at least the next 17 years behind bars. Photos: Supplied

Justice Trish Kelly handed down the sentence for the attacks on the two women from Brazil and Germany, and for some previous offences.

She said the Salt Creek attacks were committed "solely in pursuit of the gratification of your own perverted sexual fantasies and desires".

Heinze was "utterly depraved", she said, and lacked any moral compass whatsoever.

He met his victims through the Gumtree website, where they had sought a ride to Melbourne, and drove them to Salt Creek.

After setting up camp, he tied up the Brazilian woman with rope and sexually assaulted her before hitting the German woman in the head with a hammer several times and repeatedly ramming her with his 4WD.

The crimes against the two women defied any reasonable or rational explanation, Justice Kelly said.

The horrific crimes occurred on a remote beach not far from Meningie in South Australia. Photo: AAP
The horrific crimes occurred on a remote beach not far from Meningie in South Australia. Photo: AAP

Heinze was also jailed for an indecent assault in 2014 against another backpacker, who he had similarly offered a ride interstate, and for breaching a bond in relation to a 2014 assault against a fourth women.

Justice Kelly said the nature of how Heinze met his victims called for a warning to young people who used the internet for travel or other social interaction.

"Safety does not necessarily come in numbers," she said.