Backpacker says alleged Salt Creek attack was like a ‘horror movie’ – 9news.com.au

As she lay on the sand naked, tied up and held down by a man with a knife, a young Brazilian backpacker told herself "I'm not going to die today" and thought of how to escape, a court has heard.

The 24-year-old woman says it felt like she was in a horror movie during the attack that allegedly took place on the rugged sand dunes at Salt Creek in South Australia in February 2016.

A 60-year-old man is on trial accused of sexually assaulting the Brazilian woman, and hitting another female backpacker with a hammer and ramming her with a 4WD that evening.

The Brazilian woman says the man drove them to the remote beach east of Adelaide and set up camp before suggesting they take a walk to spot kangaroos.

"I thought, that's really nice. You come to Australia to see kangaroos," the woman told the SA Supreme Court on Wednesday.

But when she tried to turn back, the man grabbed her by the neck, dragged her to the sand and sat on her chest, the court heard.

She said the man then pulled out a knife and plunged its blade into the sand beside her.

The court today released a series of evidence photographs. (Supplied)

Rope allegedly used to bind a Brazilian backpacker. (Supplied)

"I felt like he was saying, 'I'm (in) power, I have the knife'," the woman said.

"It was like I was in the horror movies."

She was helpless and he tied her hands tight behind her back with rope, cut off her bikini with the knife, and began touching and kissing her, the court heard.

In an attempt to stop the attack, she told him he was "a good person" and he "didn't need to do be doing this" but he became angry.

"He started punching me ... maybe 10 times," the woman said, gesturing with her fist.

"I thought if I stayed here I was actually going to die.

"I imagined my mum coming there and seeing my dead body.

"I thought, no, I'm not going to die today. I came to Australia to live my dream. I'm going to do something."

She told him they would be more comfortable back at the camp, so he loosely tied her ankles together and started to walk her back.

But as they neared the camp he changed direction, so the woman screamed for help to her friend, who was sleeping in the car.

The German backpacker emerged and told the man to stop, the court heard, but then the man came after her.

The trial previously heard that woman was hit over the head four times with a hammer and repeatedly rammed by a 4WD, the wheels passing either side of her on one occasion.

Both women managed to escape and the accused was arrested on the dunes but the knife and hammer allegedly used in the attack were never found.

The accused man has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, indecent assault, kidnapping and other offences.

In cross-examination, defence lawyer Bill Boucaut suggested the Brazilian woman had been "strutting around with no clothes on" at the campsite.

"No," she replied strongly. "I got naked when he ripped my bikini off with a knife."

The man had offered to drive the women from Adelaide to Melbourne in response to an advertisement the Brazilian woman had placed on classifieds website Gumtree.

She had earlier arranged to drive with someone else, who she had met in person, but it fell through because of car problems, the court heard.

The trial continues before a jury of eight men and four women.

AAP 2017

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Backpacker says alleged Salt Creek attack was like a 'horror movie' - 9news.com.au