By Charlene Gatt
A MAN faced court over kidnapping and false imprisonment charges last week after a Footscray woman was allegedly held hostage in his Pakenham backyard.
Darren Saltmarsh, 35, appeared briefly at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning after police rescued a 29-year-old Footscray woman near a shallow backyard grave.
Police believe the pair met on an online dating service and agreed to meet in Melbourne last Tuesday.
It’s alleged the woman was driven to a home in Ronit Court, Pakenham, where the man demanded cash from her and her family in Nepal.
She was allegedly held hostage for two days before police raided the home on Thursday, where they found the woman and Mr Saltmarsh in the backyard near a hole in the ground. A cap had been placed over the woman’s eyes.
The man has been remanded in custody.
