Two couples are facing up to 25 years in jail for kidnapping a teenage babysitter and subjecting her to more than 16 hours of torture.
The case, which is among the worst legal sources have ever seen before South Australian courts that didn’t involve a murder, began because the parents believed the 19-year-old girl had dobbed in their friend to police over a stolen car.
For almost a full day the girl, who cannot be named, was tied up, beaten, tortured and held in a closet with a leash around her neck as her captives accused her of being a ‘dog’ – all while filming the barbarity on her mobile phone.
The case, which is among the worst legal sources have ever seen before South Australian courts that didn’t involve a murder, began because the couples believed the 19-year-old girl had dobbed in their friend to police over a stolen car (pictured the victim’s blackened eyes)
For almost a full day the girl, who cannot be named, was tied up, beaten, tortured and held in a closet with a leash around her neck as her captives accused the teen of being a ‘dog’; all while filming the barbarity on her mobile phone (pictured are some of her extensive injuries)
Joshua Gent and former partner Keira Baker. Gent is wearing a skull hoodie jacket that was used to scare the torture victim.
The other couple, Patrick Breen and his fiancee Stacey Gaffney, have also pleaded guilty to their involvement in the appalling crime
Joshua Anthony Gent, 29; his former partner, mother of one Keira Jane Baker, 28; Patrick Breen, 25; and his fiancee, mother of two Stacey Gaffney, 23; are facing jail after admitting their roles in the ordeal, The Advertiser reports.
On June 16, 2016, the victim and her housemate went to babysit Baker and Gent’s daughter.
When the couple returned to their Elizabeth Park home at 12.30am they accused the girl of being a snitch and referred to her as a dog, before calling Patrick Breen to ‘teach her a lesson.’
The girl was tied up with a dressing gown cord and gagged with an onion before Baker and Gent threw her in the boot of their car and drove to Breen and Gaffney’s home.
The bedroom and closet where the victim was detained, with jumper leads on the floor and a butane canister on the bed
The young and terrified teenager was forced to eat pet food (left) and drink bleach (right) during the ordeal
An ice pipe burn inflicted on the torture victim (above)
Throughout the 16 hours of abuse the girl was tied to a dog leash, beaten, burned with a drug pipe, made to drink bleach, eat pet food, smoke methamphetamine, inhale butane gas and clean up her own urine after she wet herself out of fear.
Prosecutor Kelly Smith said the couples filmed much of the ordeal and made the teenager believe she was going to be ‘raped and killed’.
Even more shocking is that Gaffney’s two-year-old son was in another room at the same time, a sentencing submissions hearing heard last month.
Even more shocking is that Gaffney’s two-year-old son was in another room at the same time, a sentencing submissions hearing heard last month (pictured weapons and phones used during the torture)
A cigarette lighter (left) and axe (right) used against the babysitter
The girl was left deeply traumatised by her ordeal in this closet (above)
Ms Smith said the ‘horrific ordeal’ only ended when police rescued her at 9.09pm on Friday, June 17, after the housemate’s mother contacted authorities.
Police uncovered weapons such as knuckledusters, screwdrivers and car jumper leads at the scene of the crime which were used to ‘inflict extreme pain, suffering and instil terror on the victim’.
The victim was unable to read her victim impact statement in court in August last month because of the ‘heartbreaking trauma’ she had endured.
The victim’s neck, which was choked with a dog lead, and her hair (right) which was cut off during the attack
Dog food (centre) which was fed to the victim
Gent, Baker and Breen all face up to 25 years in jail after pleading guilty to aggravated charges of unlawful detention and causing serious harm with intent between June 15 and 18 last year.
They also face a further 10 years behind bars for stealing the girls’ mobile phone, bank card, laptop, jewellery, make-up and other items valued up to $2500.
Gaffney also faces jail after pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful detention.
Judge Costello will sentence the couples next week.
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