AN Endeavour Hills man has been refused bail on charges relating to an alleged bizarre kidnapping that ended in a Pakenham backyard.
Darren Saltmarsh, 35, was arrested on 20 October after police raided a Ronit Court property, allegedly finding a Nepalese woman lying beside a shallow grave with a hat pulled over her face. It is alleged he met the woman on an internet dating site before kidnapping her and attempting to extort $20,000 from her family.
Police were alerted to the alleged kidnapping after the woman’s family contacted Nepalese authorities, who passed their concerns on to Victoria Police. On Tuesday, Mr Saltmarsh was refused bail in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on charges of kidnapping, extortion, assault and making threats to kill.
He was remanded in custody by Deputy Chief Magistrate Daniel Muling and will reappear in court on February 10.
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