A rape trial began on Wednesday in Melbourne involving a prominent man whose name cannot be published. He denies two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The woman involved worked for him as his personal assistant and says the attacks happened in March 2023 at his home, according to The Guardian and ABC News.

What the Prosecutor Said Happened

The prosecutor, Matthew Fisher, told the jury that on the night in question, the woman and the man were drinking alcohol and using cocaine together at a friend's house. Later, the man tried to kiss her and touch her sexually. She pushed him away and said "I don't want this." He allegedly replied "you're so sexy," "I can't sleep, help me," and "I need this." The prosecutor said the man then raped her twice.

According to the prosecutor's account, the woman punched him in the face hard enough to break his nose. She told him "you're a fucking rapist" and got out of bed. She then moved to another room, wrote notes on her phone, and texted her mother. Her mother called the police. Around 3am, an officer contacted the woman, and police arrived at the house. Police body cameras recorded 35 minutes of her talking to officers.

The prosecutor also said the woman will testify that the man had tried to touch her sexually before, and that she had warned him: "If I let you do this, if I let you fuck me, you will never respect me as your employee."

What the Defence Said

The defence lawyer, Dermot Dann, said the woman's story cannot be trusted. He told the jury she has serious problems with credibility—he pointed out that she once made an allegation against police that turned out to be false. He suggested that this explains why she didn't immediately call police herself; it was not because she was traumatized, but because she tends to make up stories.

The defence lawyer also noted that while still in the man's house, the woman texted her mother asking about "recompense"—meaning money or payment. Dann suggested this shows she was thinking about getting paid to settle the matter rather than reporting a genuine crime to police.

Why This Matters

The case comes down to whom the jury believes. The prosecution says what the woman did right after—breaking his nose, accusing him, calling her mother, and talking to police on camera—proves her story is true. The defence says her history of making false allegations, plus the text about money, shows she is lying. The police video recording will likely be very important, as juries often trust recordings more than what people remember and say later.

Why Is His Name Hidden?

The court has ordered that the man's identity not be published. This is standard practice in Victoria when the defendant is well-known, to protect his right to a fair trial. Critics argue the public should know who is accused of serious crimes, but courts in Victoria have decided that stopping people from knowing his name is more important than transparency.