A German backpacker who was allegedly attacked by a man with a hammer at Salt Creek in South Australia suffered a head laceration so deep it exposed bone, the Supreme Court has heard.
A trial underway in Adelaide heard the woman, now aged 24, was found by a group of fisherman on a remote stretch of beach at the Coorong covered head to toe in blood.
A 60-year-old SA man, whose identity has been suppressed, is on trial after pleading not guilty to seven charges, including attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping and indecent assault.
The alleged incident involved the German backpacker and her friend, a Brazilian woman.
Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Doctor Andrew Raymond treated the German at Flinders Medical Centre the morning after the alleged attack on February 9, 2016.
He said she had four lacerations on her head — the largest being 55 millimetres in length.
“The wound was jagged-edged … and went through all of the layers of the scalp down to the bone,” Dr Raymond said.
“There was an area of the skull bone that was exposed.”
Backpacker ‘lucky’ injuries weren’t worse: doctor
Dr Raymond told the court the lacerations were consistent with the blunt force trauma caused by a hammer.
“I think she’s incredibly lucky they weren’t more serious,” he said.
The court heard the lacerations were on the top of her head, which is among the hardest bone in the skull.