• Sweden edition

Naked Swedish couple assaulted by drunken Aussie in Scotland

Published: 31 Jul 08 16:49 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/13412/20080731/

A pair of vacationing Swedes had their romantic getaway in Scotland interrupted earlier this week when a drunken Australian sheep shearer broke into their hotel room.

Lena Mårtensson and Stefan Veraeus were sleeping in their room at the idyllic Bridge of Cally Hotel in the County of Perth in central Scotland when Mårtensson was awakened by a loud racket, reports The Daily Record newspaper.

“Miss Mårtensson heard a noise and saw the curtain billowing. She saw a male emerge,” said prosecutor Janine Bates to the Perth Sheriff Court.

The male turned out to be a very intoxicated and belligerent Benjamin Davis, a sheep shearer from Australia working temporarily in Scotland.

Frightened, Mårtensson woke up her boyfriend as Davis fumbled about, cursing as he tried to let himself out through the couple’s bedroom door.

"She heard the man shouting. Every second word was 'fuck'. He was not making any sense. She described him as looking mad and aggressive,” Bates continued.

The shaken Swedish lass, who was naked at the time, was able to grab some clothes from a nearby chair, but her attempts to sweet talk her assailant down from his agitated state were unsuccessful.

Awakened by the commotion, her boyfriend Veraeus then sat up in bed but was promptly commanded to sit down by the angry sheep shearer.

“Davis stood over him and told him not to get out of bed,” explained the prosecutor

"His body language was very aggressive. Mr. Veraeus was frightened."

As Mårtensson made a break for the door, Davis grabbed her and threw her back. She managed to slip out a short time later, however, after the drunken Aussie turned his attention back toward Veraeus.

The pair ultimately escaped from the room and ran down the hall with Davis lumbering behind in pursuit.

Fittingly, Davis’s rampage ended right back where it had begun – in the hotel bar – where hotel manager Mark Stevens and another guest managed to subdue him until police arrived.

Earlier in the evening, Davis had stormed out of the bar after the hotel manager refused to serve him any more whisky because Davis was already too drunk.

After Davis threw a couple of punches at Stevens, he was then tossed out of the hotel altogether.

Undeterred, the stubborn Australian then broke into the Swedish couple’s room to regain entry to the hotel in hopes of settling matters with the hotel manager.

In court on Wednesday, Davis admitted to threatening the couple and preventing them from leaving their room.

Through his lawyer, he also expressed regret for his actions.

"He wishes to offer his unreserved apologies to the victims of this senseless act, particularly the Swedish couple,” said David Sinclair.

"He had far too much to drink. He remembers drinking whisky and that's not normally his drink.”

David Landes (news@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6513)

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