Alleged ‘camouflage rapist’ is violently bashed in jail

A father accused of forcing a 12-year-old girl into a bush and raping her while dressed in camouflage ghillie suit has twice been badly beaten up in prison. 

Troy Stephen Johnson, 31, is currently in custody and has been refused bail after allegedly kidnapping and raping a 12-year-old girl on her way to school while dressed in a camouflage suit.

He is being treated in Sydney’s Concord Hospital after inmates viciously attacked him and broke his eye socket.

Johnson’s father Steve told The Daily Telegraph that Troy had been ‘smashed to pieces’ and that he will never ‘abandon my boy’ despite the alleged charges.  

Johnson’s father Steve told The Daily Telegraph that Troy had been ‘smashed to pieces’ and that he will never ‘abandon my boy’ despite the alleged charges 

‘He’s not been found guilty — what’s happened has destroyed our entire family, it’s ripped us apart.’

The 31-year-old was arrested in August following a three-month police investigation and will now spend two months behind bars as the case against him is prepared.

Johnson’s friend, who asked to remain anonymous, recently came forward to say that Troy had been arrested while taking his children to McDonald’s.

The friend said he has known the accused since Year 7 and described him as an ‘ordinary suburban father’, News.com.au reported.

‘He was just going back to Maccas because they forgot to put the toys in the Happy Meals for his kids,’ he said.

The friend described him as a normal dad who never lost his temper.

‘He was always a good bloke. When you needed help he would be the first one to stand up, to give you a hand,’ he said. 

Johnson’s friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said he has known the accused (pictured) since Year 7 and described him as an ‘ordinary suburban father’

‘He [Johnson] (pictured) was just going back to Maccas because they forgot to put the toys in the Happy Meals for his kids,’ said a friend of the accused

Residents of Narara, near Gosford, had been on edge after a 12-year-old girl was attacked on the morning of May 15 as she walked to school.

She was forced into the bushes and sexually assaulted at knifepoint by a man wearing a ghillie suit.

Johnson faces nine charges, including kidnapping, stalking, indecent assault, grooming and producing child abuse material.

He’s also been charged with a further four offences relating to a second complainant, an 11-year-old, including an indecent assault on Christmas Day.

He allegedly groomed the girl between New Year’s Day and late June.

Police seized a number of items during a search of a Woongarrah home (pictured) on Saturday – including camouflage gear allegedly worn during the attack

Solicitor Roland Day did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

‘There’s a circumstantial case,’ Mr Day told the court.

Johnson consented to a forensic order which will allow detectives to collect samples of his DNA as they prepare the prosecution case.

Magistrate David Day ordered a brief of evidence be served by October 9.

Officers also reportedly seized hunting knives (pictured), boots, cable ties and a mask during their search

Several items were seized from a house in Woongarrah following Johnson’s arrest on Friday night.

He was taken to hospital after he attempted to take his own life by an insulin overdose.

Weeks after the alleged May attack involving the 12-year-old, an 18-year-old girl also told police a man wearing camouflage gear grabbed her around the neck after she got off a train at Narara Railway Station.

Some residents said they were scared to walk around the area knowing the attacks had taken place.

One parent said there were ‘a million places to hide’ around the commonly used path where the incidents happened and described the mood in the community as sombre.

The arrest followed a months-long police search for a man in a ‘ghillie’ suit (pictured left and right)

Others called for better lighting, CCTV and for existing paths to be cleared.

Following news of his arrest, Johnson’s Facebook profile was flooded with hateful messages condemning his alleged crimes.

But some users also defended his family and warned vitriol should not be directed at them.

‘To the victims, wife, kids and family … you will get through this,’ one woman wrote.

Johnson’s matter will return to Gosford Local Court on October 27.

A picture of the bush lair which was the subject to police investigations earlier this year, where the 12-year-old schoolgirl was allegedly taken by Johnson