A cousin of a woman who accused a well-connected Melbourne man of rape told a witness that the alleged victim had the same legal team as Grace Tame and would take him for "all that he's worth", a court has heard.
The man, who cannot be named, faces two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in Victoria's county court. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Alleged Offences and Background
The alleged offences occurred in March 2023 after the woman, a former personal assistant for the accused, said she spent an evening drinking and taking cocaine with him while listening to music and watching football at his friend's home. The prosecution alleges that at the end of the night, the woman was at the man's house when he tried to kiss her and sexually assaulted her, then allegedly raped her twice.
Witness Testimony
On Friday, the trial heard evidence from another former personal assistant of the man. She told the court she had a falling out with the alleged victim after the witness refused to take her to drinks with the man in November 2021. The row in a Melbourne hotel culminated in the alleged victim throwing her cutlery on the table and screaming "how dare you do this to me" and "just one drink, just one drink with [him], why won't you give me just one drink", the witness told police. The pair have not spoken since.
Under questioning from the man's barrister, Dermot Dann KC, the witness agreed that she formed the opinion that night that the woman was "trying to force her way" into the accused's world, life or business. She also denied claims that Dann said the alleged victim had made in her evidence, which was given in closed court.
Alleged Victim's Claims and Cousin's Remarks
This evidence, Dann said, included that the witness regularly drank with the accused socially while employed with him, that she had a video of him shouting in the workplace and had shown it to the alleged victim, and that she felt unsafe around him. The witness said that in April 2023 she was contacted by the police informant, Det Sen Const Joshua Guy, who told her about the allegations. After this conversation but before she made a police statement, she said she spoke to a cousin of the alleged victim, who told her the alleged victim had the same six lawyers as Grace Tame and would be "taking [the accused] for all that he's worth".
Friends' Evidence and Police Response
Friends of the man also gave evidence about watching football with him and the alleged victim hours before the alleged offending. The couple hosted them at their property in South Melbourne. The alleged victim had her hand on the man's thigh while watching the match, with one witness describing it as "a public display of affection". The man left with the alleged victim after he was seen nodding off.
The court has previously heard that the alleged victim said she punched the man in the face after the alleged rape. Prosecutor Matthew Fisher told the court during his opening address: "[The accused] grabbed his face and said words to the effect of 'you've broken my nose'. She got out of bed and said to him 'you're a fucking rapist'." The woman went to another room and started taking notes on her phone before texting her mother, who called the police despite her daughter's reluctance.
On Friday, two police officers who attended the accused's house gave evidence. Det Sen Con James Redman agreed that the man did not appear to have any facial injuries at the time. He also agreed the man was friendly and cooperative, and that he largely spoke about the accused's work. "He's a very charming, charismatic man," Redman told the court. He also agreed he told the man that police had attended because of reports of a "disturbance". A couple of hours earlier, Redman said he spoke to the alleged victim on the phone, who told him she was not in any danger and was safe in a spare room, trying to resolve matters on her own.
The trial continues.
