UK backpacker found in Australia

Wednesday, 8 March 2017 16:00

A backpacker from England who has been missing for two months has been found in Australia.

The 22-year-old woman was on a road trip across Queensland with her partner, when she went missing. The unnamed British woman was a tourist who had been in Australia since 2015.

On Sunday, police stopped a vehicle being driven by the woman, after she had failed to pay for petrol and appeared to be hurt.

The victim stated she had been travelling with her partner but as the relationship ended he had turned violent and kept her hostage. She had been raped, assaulted and choked on several occasions.

A 22-year-old man, from Cairns, has been charged with a string of offences, including four counts of rape, eight counts of assault, four counts of strangulation and two counts of deprivation of liberty.

Detective Inspector Paul Hart said “this woman has gone through a "horrific and terrifying experience. The suspect was someone she knew, he was supposed to be her friend. Once the relationship had soured, to prevent her escape he abused her both physically and psychologically. Further more he intentionally damaged and invalidated her passport”

Officials confirmed, the woman has now successfully made contact with her family in the UK and is awaiting a new passport so she can finally return to home.

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