Man accused of kidnapping, assault

A 27-year-old man has appeared in court charged with kidnapping and assault after an Invercargill woman was attacked on her way home from work on Sunday.

The 23-year-old victim was walking along Lindisfarne St about 11pm when she was allegedly hit from behind by a red Corolla.

The driver was not known to the woman, but the Southland Times reported that he got out of his car, apologised and offered to drive her to hospital.

She accepted, but instead the man drove her to a rural area where he allegedly started beating and strangling her on the ground.

The woman eventually managed to fight him off and spent several hours trying to find her way back to the road.

Gene Lyndon Pikia handed himself in to police about an hour after the alleged attack and appeared in Invercargill District Court yesterday.

He was remanded in custody to reappear on September 25 when he is expected to face further charges.

The woman, who was found by police about 3am, was treated at hospital for leg and head injuries and later discharged.

- NZPA