Australian police chase new Falconio lead

A man arrested in Australia and charged with raping two women is also being investigated over the disappearance and suspected murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio.

The man's identity has not been released and police have given no reason for linking him with Mr Falconio, who disappeared just over a year ago.

They are also cautious about raising expectations of a breakthrough in the high profile case.

"As with other persons that have been brought to our attention in respect to the disappearance of Peter Falconio, this person is at this stage no more than a person of interest," said John Daulby, acting deputy commissioner of Northern Territory Police.

Mr Falconio, a 28-year-old from Huddersfield, UK, is believed to have been shot by a man who then tried to abduct his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, on the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs on July 14 last year.

Ms Lees, left tied up in the man's pick-up truck, managed to free herself and hid in the Outback for six hours before flagging down a passing truck and reporting the attack.

Northern Territory police never found Mr Falconio's body and have made no arrests - despite launching one of the nation's biggest manhunts

South Australia police are likely to send a DNA sample from the man to police in the Northern Territory, for comparison with samples taken at the scene of Mr Falconio's disappearance. The process could take days.

Ms Lees returned to England last year and has since criticised Northern Territory police for their lack of progress in the case.