A 60-year-old man accused of brutally attacking two female backpackers at Salt Creek, in South Australia’s Coorong region, has been found guilty of six out of seven charges.
The jury took just over 12 hours to reach their verdicts, finding him guilty of kidnapping, endangering life, causing harm with intent to cause harm and assault charges over the attack on February 9 last year.
They found the South Australian man, who cannot be publicly named because his identity remains suppressed by the Supreme Court, not guilty of attempted murder.
During the trial the court heard a Brazilian backpacker was found naked and screaming for help on the beach and the other backpacker, a German woman, was found covered head to toe in blood.
Prosecutor Jim Pearce QC told the jurors earlier this week the women were honest and reliable witnesses.
The defence did not call witnesses during the trial.
During the 11-day trial, the court heard the two women, both now aged 24, each thought they were going to die during the attack.
The two young women only met each other in the days prior through a mutual friend and decided to travel together as they both wanted to see the sights along the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne.