The Haifa District Court on Thursday indicted Gal Hershkowitz, 26, of Kiryat Motzkin, for the rape of a woman he met through the Internet, and for an attempted rape of a 17-year-old girl he met in the same way.

According to the indictment, Hershkowitz invited the 26-year-old woman to his home, telling her she would be blindfolded because he prepared her a surprise.

After blindfolding the woman and leading her into the house, the defendant sexually assaulted her, putting a knife to her throat when the woman struggled and pleaded with him to stop.

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The charge sheet said that after the rape the defendant left 168 text messages on the woman's cellular phone, in which he made life threats and warned her he would make sure she is dismissed from her workplace if she refused to see him again.

Hershkowitz is charged with aggravated rape, indecent acts, blackmail and extortion. Police say they have a tape documenting how the defendant forced his victim to say she had enjoyed being with him, as well as the knife allegedly used in the rape.

In a separate charge, Hershkowitz is accused of attempting to rape a 17-year-old girl he met through the ICQ online chat service.

According to the indictment, the defendant had told the girl he would take her for a ride in a limousine he owns. When the two met he led her to where he claimed the car was parked, but tried to throw her onto the ground when they passed a dark alley.

The girl struggled with Hershkowitz, managed to escape, tripped over and continued to struggle. The defendant succeeded to subdue the girl and threatened to kill her if she kept yelling for help.

At a certain point Hershkowitz stopped trying to undress the girl and said he wanted to talk with her. The girl escaped from Hershkowitz when he held her bag and allowed her to stand up.

The second indictment charges Hershkowitz with attempted rape, assault theft and blackmail.

Prosecution asked to extend Hershkowitz' remand, who has prior convictions of rape and blackmail, until the end of legal proceedings against him.

Hadera man arrested for locking up woman
Police on Thursday arrested a Hadera man, 40, on suspicion of locking up a woman and sexually assaulting her.

The man met the victim at a central road in Hadera, where she was begging for money. She agreed to accompany him to his home after the man promised her he would give her money.

The suspect then locked the victim in his house and committed indecent acts. She later managed to persuade the suspect to let her go and immediately went to police and filed the complaint.