Girl tells of abduction at knife-point

Press, 27 January 1979, Page 3

Girl tells of abduction at knife-point

A young Brisbane school teacher said in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday that she was abducted at knifepoint while watching ducks on the Avon River on Wednesday evening and taken to a house in Spreydon, where she was forced to lie in a bed with the man, who the next morning attempted to rape her. The woman, aged 23, was giving evidence against John Douglas Bennett, aged 24, a labourer, who faced charges of attempted rape, assault with intent to abduct the complainant, taking her with the intention of having sexual intercourse with her. and possessing an offensive weapon, a 2t>cm Unite.

Bennett pleaded not guilty to all charges and was remanded in custody to February 2 for a psychiatric examination.

The name of the complainant, who had been staying at the Rolleston • Avenue youth hostel while on holi-i day in Christchurch, was suppressed by Mr P. J. McAloon, S.M. She said during the hearing that she was to have flown home on Thursday afternoon, and the taking of her evidence was brought forward so that she could return to Australia as soon as possible. The complainant described how she went for a walk alone on Wednesday even-

ing, got lost, and ended up l by the Avon River looking) at the ducks. It was dusk. She suddenly “felt something sharp” in her back. Al hand’ was placd over her p I mouth and she was told,:! i“Don’t scream or vou’ll geti hurt." ’ , The man. Bennett, took | her on a long walk to the house in Spreydon, where I they were greeted by a middle-aged woman and al: man in the hallway. Thej< woman said, "Here’s John and his girlfriend.” and sev- I eral times asked Bennett ' what his girlfriend’s name t was — but lie did not 1 answer.

At some stage before the house was reached, Bennett had told her: “Plav along or you’ll get hurt." Bennett took her into an untidy bedroom and told her not to try anything because there were "rough blokes” in adjoining rooms. He left the room to get coffee for both ot them. She was then ordered to remove her shirt and jeans or she would “get hurt,” and to get into bed. She complied. She remembered the

sound of his smoking a cigarette. Sometime later, probably “a couple of hours,” she was allowed to go to a toilet along the hall. She returned to the bedroom. Later, in the early morning, Bennett forcibly re-

i moved her underclothing and to rape her. i Before this, the complainant said, she had pleadled with him, telling him that I she wasn’t "that sort of girl.” I Afterwards they gol dressed, and left the house, passing through streets to the Wigram air base. Final !y. “at a busy intersection.’ Bennett told her to get into a taxi, which took her to the [Christchurch Hospital. She walked from thert back to the youth hostel Two policemen were there and she told them what hac happened.