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The Kununurra man who raped two foreign tourists in Broome claims he was under a curse when he carried out the crimes
David Gundari, 32, was sentenced to 12 years' jail in the WA District Court last week for beating and raping two foreign tourists.
He told the court he did not have full control over his actions.
Gundari also claimed he would be speared in the leg when he was released as punishment for 'shaming his community in the NT'.
Gundari was originally from Port Keats but has spent most of his time recently in Kununurra or Broome.
He faced seven charges of sexual assault, sexual penetration, threatening to kill and causing grievous bodily harm.
In separate incidents, Gundari attacked and then raped a 24-year-old French woman and a 32-year-old Japanese woman after dragging them into secluded areas of the old Broome town late at night in September 2006.
The French woman lost four front teeth and the Japanese woman was knocked unconscious then raped.
Chief Judge Antoinette Kennedy said Gundari had shown a complete disregard for the women's welfare and dignity.
"You behaved with great violence to subdue these women and drag them to more secluded areas," she said.
Gundari's lawyer Mara Barone said Gundari, a Ngarringman-Moolybutta man, attributed his conduct to being "sung" (cursed) over the death of a woman in a remote community.
"He is a traditional man and in that regard, his thoughts and beliefs to being sung are genuinely held," Ms Barone said.
Gundari had not accepted responsibility for his crimes but knew he had brought great shame on his family, she said.
He expected to be speared and beaten by three NT communities with which he was linked when he was released, she said.
Chief Judge Kennedy said there was a link between being a traditional Aboriginal man, a life of disadvantage and alcohol abuse which made it inevitable Gundari would end up in the criminal justice system.
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