U.S. sailors charged with rape in Australia sail home
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CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) -- Three U.S. sailors charged with the rape of two Australian women in the northern city of Darwin were sailing home on Monday but would return if required to appear in court, an official said.
The three men, aged 20, 21, and 22, have each been charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent and bailed to appear in the Darwin Magistrates Court on February 24.
"The men have been returned to U.S. custody and will return to Darwin if they are required to appear in court," a spokesman for the U.S. navy told Reuters.
Two sisters, aged 23 and 26, told police they went to an apartment in the Darwin city centre with two of the servicemen just after midnight on Friday where they met a third sailor. The men were on shore leave.
About 4,500 U.S. servicemen and women from the USS Peleliu, USS Germantown and USS Decatur have been on shore leave in Darwin for most of the past week.
All three ships have now left Darwin and the three sailors are heading back to the United States.
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Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
