THE brother of murdered backpacker Caroline Stuttle says he has "no choice" but to go through the ordeal of her forthcoming murder trial.

Richard Stuttle told the Evening Press he planned to travel back to Australia to represent his family at the court case of the man accused of her brutal killing.

Richard has just returned from Down Under where he retraced the steps taken by Caroline on her backpacking trip, which later turned to tragedy.

Caroline, from Huntington Road, York, was in Bundaberg, in northern Queensland, with her best friend, when she was robbed and thrown off a 30ft-high bridge while going to make a phone call to her boyfriend in York. She died of severe head and spinal injuries.

Ian Douglas Previte, 31, has been charged with Caroline's murder and his trial will take place in Australia next month.

"I don't have a choice but to go - my family has to have a presence there," said Richard, 27, who is a trained chef and currently lives in Pocklington with his mother, Marjorie, and step-father, David Marks.

"The police have put in so much work we don't want to take it for granted.

"I'll be able to find out what happens first hand and let my family know.

"It will be very difficult, but my mum is not strong enough to do it."

Richard previously attended Previte's committal hearing at Bundaberg Magistrates, revealing the defendant "would not look him in the eye".

"We want to close the book on the whole thing," he said.

"But it won't bring Caroline back whatever happens. She fitted so much into her 19 years and was such a strong person with great courage."

Richard plans to take an active role in Caroline's Rainbow Foundation, which was set up following her death to help other backpackers abroad.

More than £1,000 was recently raised for the charity at an Elvis event at the Tap And Spile, in Monkgate.

Updated: 09:22 Saturday, August 07, 2004