Carl Matthews convicted of attempted rape in Wodonga County Court

Carl Matthews, a 55-year-old council worker from Wodonga, has been found guilty of attempted rape at the Wodonga County Court. The incident occurred in June 2021 after Matthews met the victim through a dating app.

The court heard that while the pair had consensual sexual encounters in previous weeks, the victim explicitly told Matthews to stop during the incident in question. Despite her refusal, Matthews continued certain sexual acts. The victim described the legal process as traumatizing, stating she felt “powerless and confused and unseen and unheard.”

Matthews was found not guilty of rape and common assault but was convicted of attempted rape.