Belgian backpacker is pictured for the first time as she reveals how she escaped the Gumtree rapist who chained her up in a pig shed and put a gun against her back in horrific attack

  • Davine, 24, was kidnapped and raped on a remote farm in South Australia 
  • The backpacker was promised work on the farm by Gene Bristow, 54 
  • She has spoken out about how she managed to alert authorities and survive
  • The Belgian used hooks in the pig shed where she was being held to break free
  • She sent distress signals to family and friends, as well as South Australia Police

By Brittany Chain For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Davine (pictured) has spoken about how she escaped the violent Gumtree rapist

Davine (pictured) has spoken about how she escaped the violent Gumtree rapist

A backpacker who was chained up in a pig shed by the Gumtree rapist has spoken for the first time and revealed how she escaped her attacker.    

Davine, 24, from Belgium posted a Gumtree advertisement seeking short-term work in Australia.

She was offered employment on a remote pig farm in Meningie, 150km southeast of Adelaide, in February 2017 but when she arrived her nightmare began. 

Gene Charles Bristow, 54, kidnapped her after pressing what turned out to be a fake gun against her back. 

'He was telling me to stop moving and stay still but I wouldn't let him. I was struggling and he put something against my back,' she told 60 Minutes. 

Davine, 24, posted a Gumtree advertisement seeking short term work and was offered employment on a remote pig farm in Meningie, 150km southeast of Adelaide, in February 2017

Davine, 24, posted a Gumtree advertisement seeking short term work and was offered employment on a remote pig farm in Meningie, 150km southeast of Adelaide, in February 2017

Davine, breaking her silence for the first time since the ordeal, revealed how she outsmarted the hobby farmer to alert authorities and save her life. 

She said she used discarded hooks in the pig shed where she was being held captive to break free from the chains.

Bristow took her phone but left her luggage holding her laptop in the shed with her.  

She freed herself from the chains and managed to send distress signals to family and friends, as well as South Australia police. 

Davine didn't know her exact location but was able to tell police she was picked up by a man in a red ute at Murray Bridge.  

From there, police were able to track her location.    

Davine said she was initially surprised her plan worked but knew she had to be calculated in her next move.   

Gene Charles Bristow lured a 24-year-old backpacker to his hobby farm in Meningie under false pretenses in February 2017
Gene Charles Bristow lured a 24-year-old backpacker to his hobby farm in Meningie under false pretenses in February 2017

Gene Charles Bristow lured a 24-year-old backpacker to his hobby farm in Meningie under false pretenses in February 2017

The images were shown to the court before Bristow was found guilty of six charges, including aggravated kidnapping, indecent assault and rape (pictured is the couch)

The images were shown to the court before Bristow was found guilty of six charges, including aggravated kidnapping, indecent assault and rape (pictured is the couch)

So instead of attempting a daring escape, she chained herself back up so as to not alert her captor and trusted that authorities would come to her rescue.

Bristow released Davine the following day after police swarmed the area in search of the missing backpacker. 

He was found guilty by a jury in March of one count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of rape, two counts of indecent ­assault, and one count of attempted rape. 

Davine previously told the court she was certain she would die.

'I was feeling terrible and I would think about my family a lot. I thought I wouldn't see them again. (I thought) I was going to die there,' she said. 

Bristow (pictured left) had taken her phone, but left her luggage holding her laptop in the shed with her

Bristow (pictured left) had taken her phone, but left her luggage holding her laptop in the shed with her

Further evidence, which was not included in the trial, revealed the farmer had conducted internet searches for Rohypnol, commonly known as a date-rape drug, and Tasers just four weeks before he abducted Davina.

He also reportedly searched on eBay for handcuffs, shackles, and a toy gun in the weeks prior to the assault.

Authorities never found drugs or Tasers but prosecutors argued the searches proved the attack was premeditated.

The full interview will air on Channel 9 on Sunday night at 7pm

Bristow used a toy gun (pictured) to contain the backpacker while he shackled her to the bed in the run down pig shed on his family's farm

Bristow used a toy gun (pictured) to contain the backpacker while he shackled her to the bed in the run down pig shed on his family's farm

Davina was seen weeping when evidence, including the ties she was shackled with, were tendered to the court (pictured are chains used to detain the woman in the shed)

Davina was seen weeping when evidence, including the ties she was shackled with, were tendered to the court (pictured are chains used to detain the woman in the shed)

The horrific scene where a Belgian backpacker was held captive with shackles and raped by a farmer who lured her with the promise of work (pictured)

The horrific scene where a Belgian backpacker was held captive with shackles and raped by a farmer who lured her with the promise of work (pictured)

Bristow, 54, had lured the young woman to the property (pictured) with the promise of farm work when he kidnapped her and kept her captive before raping her repeatedly

Bristow, 54, had lured the young woman to the property (pictured) with the promise of farm work when he kidnapped her and kept her captive before raping her repeatedly

Adelaide

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