Details of ‘vicious’ rape of 21-year-old Queensland woman revealed in court

A Queensland man systematically raped and burned a woman during three weeks of drug-induced violence that grew more brutal as her injuries worsened.
Nicholas John Crilley, 34, pleaded guilty to 54 offences, including grievous bodily harm, deprivation of liberty and torture, following the 23-day attack in June 2017.
His assaults left the woman, who was 21 at the time, so severely injured, paramedics initially thought she was dead, the Brisbane District Court heard on Tuesday.
“(Crilley) subjected the (woman) to severe physical, psychological and sadistic violence,” prosecutor Sandra Cupina said.
It included daily rape, setting her on fire and pouring burning water on the woman’s genitals.
Crilley also told the woman to choose her method of death.
She suffered multiple broken bones, deep lacerations to her face and burns to 46 per cent of her body.
“The tissue on part of her face was so severely infected it was also infested with maggots,” Ms Cupina said.
“If she had not been treated in hospital she would have died.”
Crilley eventually called triple-zero before fleeing the Brisbane home where most of the offending occurred.
He was taken into custody eight days later following a dramatic police chase involving several stolen cars.
The woman was placed in an induced coma and spent eight weeks in hospital recovering, which included learning to walk again.
Ms Cupina said Crilley’s violent attacks were sustained, brutal and vicious, and increased in intensity over time.
“The horror (she) would have been experiencing is almost unimaginable,” she said.
Defence lawyer Malcolm Harrison said Crilley was in a methylamphetamine-induced delusional state during the prolonged assault.
He said Crilley believed the woman had been part of a drive-by shooting that targeted him, but it was not based on reality.
“This is a dreadful and extremely serious example of violence against a woman,” he said.
“The offences were sadistic in nature.” However, Mr Harrison reminded the court Crilley had called triple-zero.
“That is probably the one factor in his favour,” he said.
Crilley is expected to be sentenced late Tuesday afternoon.
The Crown has asked he be jailed for life.