British backpacker stabs man attempting to rape her at Sydney hostel

Witnesses reported hearing screams coming from the boarding house, followed by a woman running out covered in blood

Siobhan Fenton
Wednesday 09 March 2016 15:02 GMT
The attack reportedly happened on Cleveland Street, in the Redfern area of Sydney
The attack reportedly happened on Cleveland Street, in the Redfern area of Sydney

A British woman has stabbed a man who slit her throat while attempting to rape her, it has been reported.

The woman, 23, is understood to have been backpacking in Sydney when she was attacked by a fellow resident at a boarding house. The man, a 27-year-old Mexican national, allegedly forced his way into the woman’s room and made sexual advances towards her. When she refused, he allegedly attempted to sexually assault her, before leaving the room and returning with a knife.

He allegedly stabbed the woman a number of times, including in the throat, The BBC reports. In the ensuing struggle, the woman reportedly succeeded in getting hold of the knife and stabbing the attacker.

Witnesses reported hearing screams coming from the boarding house on Cleveland Street, Fedfern, followed by the woman running out, covered in blood. The man allegedly attempted to flee the scene but was arrested two blocks away.

Speaking to local media, Dept Insp Despa Fitzgerald said: “Obviously her survival instincts kicked in and she was able to remove herself from the situation. It’s just lucky [the knife] didn’t hit a major artery in those alleged attacks, and for him as well.

“Our understanding is they weren’t well known, they were possibly acquaintances but we’re still trying to work that out.”

The woman is in hospital awaiting surgery and the man is also receiving medical treatment, under the watch of an armed guard around his hospital bed.

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