Daily London
A man from a high-profile family has vehemently denied he raped a woman as he gave evidence in his own trial.
The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, testified before a Victorian County Court jury today after pleading not guilty to two counts of rape.
It’s alleged he digitally raped his friend’s girlfriend at his Melbourne home in the early hours of January 14, 2024.
The jury was told the woman had consensual sex with her boyfriend at the house but then he organised an Uber and left the property shortly before 2am.
It’s alleged the accused then lied, telling the woman her boyfriend would be returning upstairs because his Uber had been cancelled.
Prosecutors allege it was the accused who went into the dark bedroom a short time later and pretended to be the woman’s boyfriend.
He allegedly digitally raped her but she managed to move away and ask directly if he was the accused.
The man claimed he was her boyfriend and he allegedly then grabbed both her hands before digitally raping her again while she told him to stop.
She managed to get a hand free and felt his hair, which was longer than her boyfriend’s, and that’s when the man allegedly stopped and ran from the room.
It’s alleged he returned a few minutes later and acted as if nothing had happened, instead asking her if she was OK.
Under questioning from the prosecutor, the man repeatedly denied he ever raped the woman.
“I never went into that room and sexually assaulted (the complainant),” he said in his evidence.
The jury was told the man doctored an Uber receipt in the days after to make it look like the alleged victim’s boyfriend had left the house after 2.30am.
The accused admitted in evidence that he forged the receipt but denied he did so to avoid taking responsibility for his crimes.
The trial before Judge Gregory Lyon continues.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
