A man from a high-profile family in Australia has been found guilty of the digital rape of woman inside his home. The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, denied the charge but was convicted after less than two days of jury deliberations.
Prosecutors alleged that the man digitally raped his friend’s girlfriend in the early hours of January 14, 2024 in Melbourne. The court heard how the woman had consensual sex with her boyfriend in the house before he ordered an Uber and left shortly before 2am. The jury was told how the defendant then lied, telling the woman her boyfriend’s Uber had been cancelled and that he would be back shortly.
The offender then entered the bedroom pretending to be the victim’s boyfriend before digitally raping her twice.
Digital penetration is just one form of sexual penetration. Digital penetration as it sounds refers to the use of the digits, that is, the fingers, the thumbs or the toes to sexually penetrate a person.
Following the attack, the defendant forged an Uber receipt to make it seem as if the victim’s boyfriend had left the house after 2.30am, in order to place him in the property at the time of the attack.
The man admitted forging the receipt but said he did so in panic after being made aware of the allegation of rape against him.
Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams told the jury the man had told a series of lies to try to deflect blame as he urged them to find the man guilty.
He urged the jury to ignore the man’s denials and instead believe the alleged victim, who had given clear, consistent and convincing evidence.
The attacker’s defence barrister had tried to convince the jury that the victim’s mind was playing tricks on her.
The jury retired to begin deliberations at 3pm on Wednesday following the seven say trial.
They returned to deliver their verdict less than 28 hours later, finding the defendant guilty on all charges at noon on Friday.
As the verdict was delivered, the man sat with his head in his hands while his mother cried openly in the public gallery.