Tom Silvagni, found guilty of a brutal and deceitful sexual assault, has formally launched an appeal against his conviction. The move comes months after he was sentenced to a substantial prison term for attacks on a young woman in his own home.
The Assault and Deception
In the early hours of January 14, 2024, a woman known under the pseudonym Samantha Taylor was a guest at Silvagni's Melbourne residence. She had been invited by Silvagni's girlfriend, Alannah Iaconis, and had a brief prior relationship with Silvagni's friend, Anthony LoGiudice. After socialising, the group went to bed separately, and Ms Taylor consensually had sex with Mr LoGiudice before he left the property just before 2am.
Silvagni then entered Ms Taylor's room under false pretences. He lied, telling her that Mr LoGiudice's Uber had been cancelled and he would be returning. Shortly after, Silvagni went into the dark bedroom and pretended to be his friend as he digitally raped her.
When Ms Taylor managed to move away and directly ask if he was Silvagni, he maintained the lie. He then grabbed both her hands, pinned her down, and digitally raped her a second time as she told him to stop. She freed a hand, felt his longer hair, and realised his true identity, at which point Silvagni fled the room.
The Trial and Sentencing
Silvagni's web of deception extended beyond the assault itself. In the following days, he fabricated an Uber receipt to make it appear Mr LoGiudice had left after 2:30am. He admitted to forging the document but claimed it was due to panic after being falsely accused.
A County Court jury rejected his account, finding him guilty of two counts of rape on December 5. In November, Victorian County Court Judge Gregory Lyon sentenced Silvagni to six years and two months in jail, with eligibility for parole after serving three years and three months.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Lyon condemned Silvagni's "callous lies" and "egregious" conduct, designed to undermine the victim's beliefs and prevent her from reporting the crime. The judge noted the profound psychological and emotional trauma inflicted on Ms Taylor, commending her integrity and courage throughout the court process.
Appeal and Aftermath
On Wednesday morning, Silvagni filed appeal documents with the Supreme Court, challenging his conviction. Throughout the trial, he showed no remorse or insight into his offending, according to Judge Lyon, who also criticised his "utterly appalling and shameful" actions towards his lifelong friend, Anthony LoGiudice.
The judge acknowledged Silvagni's youth, lack of prior convictions, and diagnosed depression, stating his time in custody would be more difficult as a result. He also noted the intense but fair media scrutiny as an additional form of punishment.
During sentencing, Ms Taylor, supported by family, wiped away tears while Silvagni's mother, Jo Silvagni, glared at her from across the room. Outside court, Jo Silvagni shoved a female reporter and told her to leave. The couple had previously declared their son innocent and signalled their intention to appeal.
