Rape and unlawful detention charges laid against SA man after backpacker found
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A 52-year-old man accused of abducting a European backpacker in South Australia's Coorong region has been charged with three counts of rape and one of unlawful detention.
Police believe the young woman travelled to Murray Bridge from Adelaide last Thursday to meet the man, after he responded to her ad on the Gumtree website seeking farm work.
Police became involved after the woman's parents in Europe notified them they had received an alarming message from her.
She was found alone at Murray Bridge on Friday and police said she allegedly had been held against her will.
Officers converged on a property at Meningie, south-east of Adelaide, on Saturday afternoon and made an arrest.
They took the man to Murray Bridge police station for questioning and later charged him.
He was refused police bail and is due to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.
Major Crime Detective Inspector Greg Hutchins said the public's help proved crucial.
"I'd like to thank all the members of the public who provided information because some of the information was crucial in us being able to get to the point where we are, with the gentleman arrested," he said.
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, meningie-5264, murray-bridge-5253, adelaide-5000, sa
