Australia: Melbourne businessman convicted of rape by unanimous jury

Herz — World Desk · 28 July 2026 at 04:14 · 30s summary · 2 min read

What we know

A Melbourne businessman was found guilty of rape and sexual assault on July 28, 2026. A unanimous jury of the County Court of Victoria, Australia, delivered this verdict, according to the ABC.

The jury found two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The offences were committed on March 23, 2023 at the defendant's residence.

The defendant was remanded in custody immediately after the verdict. The sentencing date has not yet been announced.

Trial proceedings

The trial lasted three weeks. The prosecution argued that on the night in question, the defendant and the complainant had consumed alcohol and cocaine. The assault in the bedroom ceased when the victim struck the defendant in the face.

Defence counsel Dermot Dann KC — a Commonwealth honorific title conferred by letters patent on eminent legal practitioners — described the complainant's account as 'fiction'. Prosecutor Matthew Fisher argued that the complainant was a credible witness whose testimony remained consistent.

fiction

— Dermot Dann KC, defence counsel, describing the complainant's account

Identity protected by order

The defendant's identity is protected by a suppression order granted in 2023 following his charge. His lawyers had invoked a risk to his mental health to obtain this measure.

The order prohibits naming the defendant or disclosing the sectors in which he operates. It had also prevented publication of a photograph, even if pixelated. The County Court later amended the order to expire upon the delivery of the verdict.

Media lawyers, including those from the ABC, were scheduled to seek the lifting of this order on July 28, 2026 before Judge Frank Gucciardo.

What remains uncertain

The outcome of the application to lift the suppression order was unknown at the time of publication of this article. The sentencing date has not been communicated.

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