A man from a well-connected and prominent Victorian family has been found guilty of raping a woman twice, with his identity to remain suppressed for several months despite the County Court jury’s unanimous verdict.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, released a statement expressing relief that jurors “believed” her after what she described as an exhausting journey since reporting the assault early last year. She urged other women seeking justice not to doubt their strength.
The offender reacted with visible shock when the guilty verdicts were read, burying his face in his hands as relatives wept in the courtroom.
Judge Gregory Lyon cleared the court to allow a private farewell before the man was taken into custody, rejecting a defence request to extend bail due to his “mental health issues.” The judge ruled imprisonment was inevitable and scheduled a pre-sentence hearing for next week.
During the two-week trial, prosecutors argued the woman had been “consistent and compelling,” detailing how she was assaulted after visiting the man’s home at the invitation of his girlfriend.
She told the jury she initially believed the man’s friend—whom she had consensual sex with earlier—had returned, only to realise it was the accused who assaulted her digitally twice before fleeing the room. Prosecutors revealed he later lied to cover his tracks, including altering an Uber receipt and urging witnesses to change their accounts.
The man denied the allegations, claiming the woman was mistaken. However, jurors rejected this defence, leaving him to await sentencing while the identity suppression order remains in place.
