A well-known Victorian personality who is well-known to Australian athletes and celebrities has been accused of sexual assault.
The individual won a legal battle to keep his identity a secret, therefore it is impossible to identify him.
Following the man’s arrest, Barrister Dermot Dann KC battled to keep the case’s specifics under wraps, citing mental health concerns such as PTSD.
In March, a woman was allegedly sexually attacked by the father, who is in his 60s, at a flat.
He was taken into custody on March 24 and was questioned the next day. However, on August 8, he was freed and charged.
He is currently being accused of two rapes, one attempted rape, and one sexual assault; however, he disputes the accusations.
Over the course of three days, four expert witnesses—a general practitioner, psychologists, and a psychiatrist—were called to testify.
Since receiving a PTSD diagnosis, the accused has avoided public spaces like supermarkets and sports fields, the court heard. However, the prosecution raised concerns about two recent vacations, including one that took place abroad.
The man’s general practitioner testified in court that “he was totally humiliated, put in a cell which he had never been to before.”
According to a psychologist asked to testify, the case had made the man’s anxiety and despair worse.
“He was terrified that this would be public and his children would be on the receiving end of some comments as well as his ageing parents,” added the therapist.
A magistrate has consented to conceal the man’s identify out of concern that it would worsen his mental state.
