Overview
- The accused, who is subject to a suppression order, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault over an alleged incident at his Melbourne home on March 24, 2023.
- Prosecutor Matthew Fisher began closing submissions on July 22, 2026, telling jurors the complainant stayed consistent across interviews and pointing to messages sent to her mother and other contemporaneous evidence.
- Defence lead Dermot Dann KC called the prosecution case a “horrible mixture of lies” and argued the complainant fabricated the allegations for an ulterior, possibly financial, motive.
- Testimony at trial described drinking and alleged cocaine use on the night in question, the complainant returning from a football gathering, immediate texts to her mother and Victoria Police attending the scene.
- With closing arguments finishing and the jury yet to deliberate, the verdict will determine criminal liability and will also shape wider questions about credibility, reputation and any related civil or compensation claims.