A Victorian jury has found Tom Silvagni guilty of raping a woman who was a friend of his girlfriend, bringing to a close a trial dominated by evidence of deception, manipulation and sustained denial.
The court heard that in the minutes after the assault, Silvagni embarked on what prosecutors described as immediate “gaslighting”, attempting to undermine the victim’s account and distort the truth to evade responsibility.
The woman told the court she was assaulted in a guest bedroom at the Silvagni family home after another man left, describing how Silvagni entered the darkened room, restrained her and sexually assaulted her despite her protests.
In the aftermath, the jury heard Silvagni allegedly altered digital evidence, pressured others to lie, and repeatedly denied the woman’s reality, actions prosecutors said showed a serious moral deficit and lack of empathy.
The victim later delivered a statement describing the long-term psychological toll, saying the lies made her doubt her own experience and complicated her recovery. Despite Silvagni’s continued denials and claims of panic-driven behaviour, jurors rejected his account after nearly two weeks of evidence.
Silgani is the son of Stephen Silvagni, a Carlton Football Club Hall of Famer and former AFL star.
