Backpacker kidnapped, sexually assaulted and fed drug-laced chocolates after answering fake job ad.

By Courtney Wilson

A German backpacker was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and fed drug-laced chocolates by a man who lured her to a property in Queensland with a fake job ad, a court has heard.

Peter Van de Wetering has been jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to nine charges over the attack in August 2013.

The court heard the 49-year-old drove the 19-year-old woman to an isolated property at Cottonvale, on the southern Darling Downs, on the promise of work.

“You picked her up in a rented vehicle, wearing your bearded disguise and a cowboy hat,” Judge Terry Martin said.

Van der Wetering then attempted to stupefy the teenage with chocolates he laced with the sleeping pill, Stillnox, the court heard.

“The victim tasted it but didn’t like it, so she secretively put it in a tissue in her bag,” Judge Martin said.

“You therefore took aggressive action, threatening her that if she wanted to be safe to put her hands behind her back and face the window.

“You produced what appeared to be a knife, put it close to her face and threatened to kill her.

“You tied her hands with cable ties.

Tied up in shearing shed

The court heard Van der Wetering then drove the backpacker to the property, where he had previously worked.

He took the teenager to the shearing quarters, removed her clothes and tied her to a bed.

“To stop the complainant from yelling out, you said “Do you need a gun in your mouth to make you stop talking?” “Judge Martin said.

Van der Wetering then sexually assaulted and digitally raped the young woman.

The court heard a struggle ensued, and when Van der Wetering told the teenager to calm down she said she would rather die.

Scars from cable ties ‘a constant reminder’

After the assault, Van der Wetering removed a blindfold and forced his victim to eat the drug-laced chocolates.

The next memory the young woman has is waking alone on a roadside about 1:30am on August 14, 2013.

Judge Martin described the attack as “terrifying and degrading”, and said the victim suffered ongoing psychological damage.

“The scars from the cable ties remained clearly visible for 1.5 years, no doubt being a constant reminder to her of her horrific ordeal,” he told Van der Wetering.

“She continues to be afraid of the dark, and it took her a long time to be able to stay at home alone overnight.

“She remains continually scared, the smallest noise causes her pulse to race.”

Declaring Van der Wetering a serious violent offender, Judge Martin said: “This offending involves an entirely ruthless pursuit of a young and innocent woman for your sexual gratification.

“This offending involves extensive planning and preparation.”

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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