A prosecutor has accused a man from a well-known family of fabricating stories to evade responsibility after allegedly raping a woman in his residence.
The accused, who remains unnamed due to legal restrictions, is currently facing a jury at the Victorian County Court as the trial approaches its conclusion with both sides delivering their closing statements.
The allegations claim that the man assaulted the girlfriend of a friend at his Melbourne home in the early morning hours of January 14, 2024.
During the trial, it was revealed that the woman had engaged in consensual relations with her boyfriend at the accused’s house. Afterward, her boyfriend arranged for an Uber and departed the premises shortly before 2 a.m.
Prosecutors allege that the accused misled the woman by claiming that her boyfriend’s Uber was canceled and that he would soon return to the bedroom.
According to the prosecution, the accused then entered the dark bedroom, impersonated the woman’s boyfriend, and proceeded to digitally rape her twice.
In the days after, the man doctored an Uber receipt to allegedly make it look like the complainant’s boyfriend had left the house after 2.30am.
The accused admitted forging the receipt but said he did so because he panicked after being falsely accused of rape.
Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams told the jury the fake receipt was part of a series of lies the man told to avoid responsibility.
“He was shifting the blame, making it look like there was someone other than him in the house,” McWilliams said.
He said the jury should ignore the man’s lies and instead believe the alleged victim, who had given clear, consistent and convincing evidence.
“She’s not mistaken, she’s not confused – she told you what happened,” McWilliams said.
Defence barrister David Hallowes SC said even the woman had doubted her recollection, telling people she was unsure whether it was the accused or her boyfriend who came into the room.
Hallowes said the woman did not get a clear look at the offender and it was possible her mind was playing tricks on her when she concluded the accused was responsible.
The defence barrister conceded his client made the “stupid” decision to forge the Uber receipt, but said he did so because he panicked.
“This is a young man confronting a shocking allegation,” Hallowes said.
“It’s a stupid lie but it’s not a lie that shows he’s guilty.”
The defence barrister said the man was innocent and should be acquitted of the two rape charges.
Judge Gregory Lyon will give his directions to the jury tomorrow before it begins deliberations.
