Australian courts uphold NSW sexual assault conviction and begin Melbourne businessman rape trial

The New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the appeal of a Leeton man convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting his younger sister between late 2014 and early 2015. The appeal court affirmed the jury’s verdict on three counts of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, rejecting the argument that mixed verdicts indicated reasonable doubt. The offender, who received a community correction order, was not sentenced to prison.

In Victoria, a high‑profile Melbourne businessman, whose identity is suppressed by court order, faced a jury trial in the County Court on charges of rape and sexual assault involving a personal assistant. The prosecution alleges a series of encounters between August 2022 and March 2023, including alleged non‑consensual sexual acts after the alleged consumption of cocaine and wine. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault and two counts of rape, and his defence counsel has challenged the complainant’s credibility.

Both cases illustrate ongoing judicial proceedings in Australia concerning serious sexual‑offence allegations.