Man arrested in kidnap, torture of model

(ANSA) - Monza, March 23 - A 42-year-old man in the Milan suburb Cinisello Balsamo was arrested on Monday, suspected of kidnapping a 23-year-old model from Sweden and holding her hostage in his garage where he allegedly raped and tortured her for six months, investigators said.
    Police found the woman after a neighbor heard her screaming and called authorities.
    The man had previously served time in prison for a similar crime in 2008 in which he bound, beat, whipped and raped an 18-year-old woman from Belarus.
    Investigators said the man posed as a modeling agent, gained the Swedish woman's trust, and lured her to his apartment where he held her hostage for six months until the neighbor alerted authorities.
    The man allegedly allowed the woman one closely monitored phone call to her family per week, to assure them that nothing was wrong.
    Investigators reported that when they found the woman, she was in such a profound state of shock that she was unable to speak for hours.
    The woman is now in hospital awaiting the arrival of her family from Sweden.