Sex attack victim feared for her life

Photo / Supplied.

A 20-year-old woman believed she would be murdered during a three-hour sex attack by Christchurch man Gareth William Davis.

The unemployed 25-year-old from the Christchurch suburb of Templeton pleaded guilty to eight charges in Christchurch District Court today, Christchurch Court News website reports.

Judge Stephen Erber read him a "first strike" warning under the Government's tough new sentencing legislation.

Davis was remanded in custody for sentencing on October 1, on a charge of abducting the woman, raping her, four charges of sexual violation, wounding her with reckless disregard for her safety, and threatening to kill her.

Police prosecutor Sergeant John Taylor said the incident began early on July 10 when Davis learnt that the woman was home alone and tricked her with a text message into coming to his house.

He then armed himself with a 20cm steak knife and waited outside.

When she arrived he pointed the knife at her and told her to drive to an isolated rural area off the Old West Coast Road where he subjected her to a brutal sexual assault over the next three hours.

When they arrived, the woman tried to call for help on her cellphone but Davis took it off her and threw it away.

They were in a secluded, wooded area. The woman began screaming but Davis cut her face with the knife, causing an 8cm wound.

He told her: "I'm not going to kill you if you do what I say. We are going to have sex."

A series of sexual assaults followed.

He then ordered her to drive to an even more remote location where there was a further sexual assault.

Mr Taylor said the victim continually begged him to let her go and at 4am, after she said she would not tell anybody what had happened, he allowed her to drive him home.

"Throughout the three-hour ordeal she was convinced that she was going to be killed and no one would find her body. She was utterly distraught and terrified," he said.

Davis has previous convictions.

- NZPA