Accused rapist identified, police say he went to work then returned to scene

A man accused of raping a young woman on her early-morning walk went to work after the alleged assault before returning to the scene that evening, according to police.

Jacob Dave Henry Hauraki, 32, allegedly assaulted the woman in bushes near Moggill Creek in Brookfield, a semi-rural suburb west of Brisbane, after approaching her from behind along Brookfield Road about 6.33am on Thursday.

The 23-year-old fought him off, crossing a nearby creek and traversing bushland into Brookfield Showgrounds to escape before calling Triple Zero.

“I want to acknowledge the victim this morning and recognise her bravery,” Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham told reporters on Friday morning.

“This is a horrific and confronting incident that no one should ever experience.”

The woman had been on a walk with a family member, who had ended up separated. She was injured in the alleged attack and taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, but had returned home by Friday.

Massingham said police made a breakthrough on Thursday evening, after witnesses came forward with dashcam footage.

They allege Hauraki was on his way to work in another location when he attacked the woman, who he did not know.

He then went on to work about 15 minutes away but returned that evening to the scene, and police recognised his vehicle and made an arrest on Moons Lane.

“We’re fairly familiar with offenders sometimes returning to the scene for different reasons,” Massingham said.

Hauraki was charged with six counts of rape, stalking, assault with intent to commit rape, assault occasioning bodily harm and deprivation of liberty.

Massingham said the crime scene would remain in place, with police divers searching the creek.

“We’d obviously be very keen on trying to identify any further items that the offender may have dropped or left behind in our forensic search.”

The man did not appear for his mention in Brisbane’s Magistrate Court on Friday, or apply for bail.