British backpacker, 22, 'raped and abused' for TWO MONTHS during horror road trip in the outback with man, 22, and is only saved by chance during a routine police traffic stop

  • British backpacker repeatedly raped over two months in Queensland 
  • The 22-year-old woman was rescued after a routine traffic stop 
  • A 22-year-old Cairns man has already faced court on charges of rape 

By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: | Updated:

A young British tourist held captive and repeatedly raped, bashed and choked during a nightmare two-month road trip through Queensland's outback has been saved by a routine traffic stop.

The 22-year-old was rescued on Sunday afternoon when police pulled over a four-wheel drive at Mitchell, about 600 kilometres west of Brisbane, and found the terrified and injured woman at the wheel.

She had facial fractures, bruises and cuts and when officers searched the vehicle, they found her alleged attacker hiding in a storage alcove in the back.

A 22-year-old woman had serious facial injuries and was extremely distressed when police pulled over a four-wheel drive on the Warrego Highway (pictured)  at Mitchell 

A 22-year-old woman had serious facial injuries and was extremely distressed when police pulled over a four-wheel drive on the Warrego Highway (pictured)  at Mitchell 

It's alleged the woman suffered a series of sustained attacks between on a journey that stretched at least 1360 kilometres from Cairns south to the outback town of Roma

It's alleged the woman suffered a series of sustained attacks between on a journey that stretched at least 1360 kilometres from Cairns south to the outback town of Roma

The 22-year-old woman was rescued after a routine traffic stop in Queensland (Warrego Highway pictured) 

The 22-year-old woman was rescued after a routine traffic stop in Queensland (Warrego Highway pictured) 

A 22-year-old British backpacker who was repeatedly raped, bashed and choked has been saved by a routine traffic stop near Mitchell, 500 kilometres north-west of Brisbane (Mitchell train station pictured)

A 22-year-old British backpacker who was repeatedly raped, bashed and choked has been saved by a routine traffic stop near Mitchell, 500 kilometres north-west of Brisbane (Mitchell train station pictured)

'We would certainly say that what's happened to this young lady is quite catastrophic,' Detective Inspector Paul Hart told the ABC. 

'When located we will allege that the male person was secreted in the back section of the vehicle which made it quite difficult to find him.'

The 22-year-old man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda, is facing more than 20 charges, including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four of strangulation, and two of deprivation of liberty. He's also facing drug charges.

He applied for bail but was refused when he faced a court in Roma on Monday. He is due to face court again on May 23.

Police say the pair met in Cairns and decided to embark on a road trip that quickly turned into a living nightmare for the backpacker.

'During the course of their travels throughout the state then a number of very serious offences have occurred,' Detective Inspector Hart said. 

The alleged offender is from Manunda, a suburb in Cairns, Queensland (Manunda pictured) 

The alleged offender is from Manunda, a suburb in Cairns, Queensland (Manunda pictured) 

The man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda (pictured), has already faced court 

The man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda (pictured), has already faced court 

The 22-year-old man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda (pictured), has already faced a Roma court on charges including four counts of rape

The 22-year-old man, from the Cairns suburb of Manunda (pictured), has already faced a Roma court on charges including four counts of rape

He said the woman's 'very prolonged' ordeal had left her with physical and serious psychological injuries, and her mental health was a priority.

It's alleged she suffered a series of sustained attacks between January 2 and March 5 on a journey that stretched at least 1360 kilometres from Cairns south to the outback town of Roma.

At 5pm on Sunday, police pulled over a 4WD on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell, just west of Roma, and immediately realised something was very wrong.

'It appears she was terrified and not able to hide that (from officers),' police said on Tuesday.

Investigators are still trying to piece together the pair's movements, including where they might have stopped.

A British High Commission spokesperson said: 'We are supporting a British woman following an incident in Queensland and remain in contact with local authorities.' 

Mitchell (pictured) is a rural town 500 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, Queensland

Mitchell (pictured) is a rural town about 600 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, Queensland

Police will allege the woman met the Cairns man three months ago and they agreed to go on a road trip (Warrego Highway pictured) 

Police will allege the woman met the Cairns man three months ago and they agreed to go on a road trip (Warrego Highway pictured) 

Police found the woman in a four-wheel drive on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell (pictured)

Police found the woman in a four-wheel drive on the Warrego Highway at Mitchell

TOURISTS ATTACKS IN AUSTRALIA

1992-1993

The bodies of seven people, including five backpackers, are found in the Belanglo State Forest in New South Wales.

Serial killer Ivan Milat is arrested over the murders, which took place between December 1989 and April 1992, and convicted in 1996.

September 1997

Japanese tourist Michiko Okuyama, 22, drowns in her own blood inside a sound-proof vault at a disused Cairns warehouse. Her head was repeatedly slammed into a wall as she was held captive.

The 16-year-old boy who murdered her uses a wheelie bin to cart her body through the city's streets before dumping it near a school. He is serving a life sentence.

July 2001

British backpacker Peter Falconio is murdered on a remote stretch of highway in the Northern Territory, while his partner Joanne Lees miraculously escapes.

Bradley John Murdoch is convicted over the murder in 2005.

March 2014

The brutal slaying of French student Sophie Collombet, whose naked body is found in an inner-city rotunda.

The murder and rape in south Brisbane shock the city.

Benjamin James Milward pleads guilty to the murder in October 2016.

February 2016

Two female backpackers are attacked at a remote beach southeast of Adelaide.

A 60-year-old man is charged over the alleged sex attack at Salt Creek in the Coorong National Park.

The charges include attempted murder and indecent assault. He is due to face court in March 2017.

September 2016

British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung is stabbed to death at a hostel in Home Hill south of Townsville in 2016.

Fellow backpacker Tom Jackson tries to save her life but dies from stab wounds in hospital days later.

A French national, 29-year-old Smail Ayad, is charged over the murders.

November 2016

A 24-year-old Polish au pair is brutally bashed and raped north of Brisbane in 2016.

She tragically passes away in a car accident in her homeland just days before her alleged attacker, a 28-year-old man is charged over the attack.

January-March 2017

A young British backpacker is rescued at a routine traffic stop after being held captive and repeatedly raped during a two-month road trip through outback Queensland.

A 22-year-old man is facing more than 20 charges, including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four of strangulation, and two of deprivation of liberty.

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