Attacker ‘raped woman then tried to drown her’ in broad daylight

A 27-year-old Queensland woman was raped repeatedly on a popular running track before her alleged attacker dragged her to a nearby lagoon and tried to drown her, in what police say was a “horrific, vicious” daylight assault.

The woman was jogging about 10.30am on Sunday in Rockhampton, near the Yeppen Lagoon, when she was allegedly attacked by a Victorian man, who had been in the central Queensland city for just two weeks.

“She was out for a morning run at that time, and she was attacked by a stranger who wasn’t known to her, never seen him before, and she was viciously attacked and sexually assaulted and raped on a number of occasions,” Detective Acting Inspector Kevin Mawdsley said.

“Then after the sexual attack was finished, the offender dragged her to the water ... and attempted to drown her.”

When the alleged attacker fled, the woman walked 100 metres to find help.

“She ended up ... just going to buildings looking for assistance,” Mawdsley said.

“[I] can’t begin to imagine what she went through … she’s certainly displaying a huge amount of courage at the moment.”

The woman was taken to Rockhampton Base Hospital where she was treated and underwent forensic testing.

Investigators tracked down the accused attacker – a 27-year-old Victorian man – nearly 400 kilometres south in Hervey Bay, the following day – Australia Day.

He was found in a vehicle with a woman known to him, allegedly “trying to make attempts to get back to Victoria”, Mawdsley said.

“As you can imagine, a large-scale police investigation ensued,” he said, adding that detectives with the Rockhampton criminal investigation branch reached out to their counterparts in Victoria.

The man was charged with three counts of rape and one count of attempted murder and was refused bail.

Mawdsley said the victim had run along the track a number of times.

“It’s the walking track that goes from the Yeppen Lagoon ... all the way to the Botanic Gardens. It’s walked and run by many people. My wife runs along that area, so [it’s] certainly a popular area.

“Take appropriate precautions when you’re out and about, whether it’s exercising or just going for a social walk. Walk in groups if you can, but obviously that’s not possible all the time.

“We believe that area is safe for the community to go back to.”

Police continue to appeal for information or vision of a dark blue 2008 Toyota two-door hatchback seen in the Yeppen Lagoon area around the time of the alleged offence.

The car is owned by another man from Victoria, who is not accused of any involvement in the attack.

Mawdsley encouraged anyone with any information about the vehicle or incident to come forward to police.