The alleged brutalisation of a Melbourne man by his former personal assistant, moments after he's said to have raped her, has been detailed in a Victorian court. The high-profile case, which involves two charges of rape and one of sexual assault, is set to unfold as the trial commences.
Prosecutor Matthew Fisher presented opening submissions on Wednesday, outlining the events that unfolded at the man's residence in March 2023. According to Fisher, the woman had spent an evening socialising with the man and a friend, consuming alcohol and cocaine, before returning to his home where she alleges he attempted to kiss her and sexually assaulted her despite her explicit refusal.
The prosecutor detailed that the woman had repeatedly told the man 'I don't want this', but he continued with phrases such as 'you're so sexy' and 'I need this'. Fisher stated that the woman then felt the man rape her twice, before turning to face him and punching him in the face, allegedly breaking his nose. The woman reportedly exited the bed, calling the man a 'f****** rapist', to which he responded with regret and self-pity.
The court heard that the woman retreated to another room where she began documenting the events on her phone before texting her mother. Her mother contacted the police, who arrived at the property shortly after 3 am on 24 March 2023. A recorded conversation between the woman and police is expected to be presented to the jury.
The woman had previously worked as the man's personal assistant for several months the previous year, before re-establishing contact to discuss potential new employment opportunities. Fisher indicated that she will testify that the man made sexual advances towards her on prior occasions, but she consistently rejected his overtures, warning him that if he pursued such behaviour, it would compromise their professional relationship.
The man's barrister, Dermot Dann KC, raised questions about the woman's credibility and reliability. He pointed out that she had previously made false allegations against police and highlighted her decision to remain at the house after the alleged rapes and sexual assault, as well as her initial hesitation in reporting the incidents to the authorities.