BATHURST was a city in shock on Saturday following claims in the Local Court on Friday that a man and woman had kidnapped and held a 26-year-old man as their captive slave for six months at Gormans Hill.
As Sydney media descended on Bathurst following the couple’s court appearances on Friday, police tried to explain a plot you might only see in the movies.
Inspector Lionel White agreed with a media scrum outside the Bathurst police station that it was a bizarre case of alleged kidnapping involving claims of inhumane treatment and cruelty.
He said that the police allegations were of two persons "holding psychological control" over the young Bathurst man while allegedly physically assaulting him.
Inspector White said police from Strike Force Bukari arrested Paula Diane Morrison, 46, and Mervyn John Ferry, 41, on Friday.
Ferry had been charged on 14 counts and Morrison faced 13 charges before the Local Court where both were refused bail to re-appear on Monday, October 11.
Inspector White said Ferry had been charged with very serious offences including two counts of taking and detaining a person in company with intent to get an advantage occasioning actual bodily harm between February and August.
Ferry also faced three counts of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, five counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of common assault.
Morrison was facing 13 charges, one less count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm than Ferry.
All charges related to offences that allegedly occurred after the 26-year-old lodger moved into the Fish Parade house Morrison occupied with three children.
"It is alleged that over six months the man was held against his will," Inspector White said.
"He had his mobile phone confiscated, was forced to perform all the cleaning duties, starved of food and repeatedly assaulted."
Inspector White said the investigation started after it was alleged the man was assaulted with baseball bat on Monday, August 9.
Police allege the man had been locked inside a children’s cubby house in the lounge room and denied any medical treatment before being taken to Bathurst police station the next day, the inspector said.
"When police spoke to the man he was found to be in an extremely dehydrated and emaciated state, suffering black eyes, a split lip and severe bruising," Inspector White said.
"He was rushed to the Bathurst Base Hospital and later transferred to Westmead Hospital where it was discovered he was suffering significant injuries."
Police have been told the 26-year-old sustained old and new rib and spinal fractures as well as nasal fractures, a fractured jaw, punctured lung and neck injury.
"The man weighed only 40 kilograms. His normal body weight was 70 kilograms."
Inspector White said the man was out of hospital at a location known to police. He was reported to be doing well.
When questioned about reports the man had been locked in a cubby house, Inspector White said he understood that sleeping arrangement occurred over about six months.
"Police will allege the man could not leave the house," Inspector White said.
"Warrants were obtained and police searched the house at Fish Parade and White Street, Bathurst."
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