Celebrity agent Ralph Carr, who has represented notable figures in the entertainment and sports industries, has been convicted of rape.
A jury of nine women and three men deliberated for three days before reaching a guilty verdict on all counts following a two-week trial in the County Court of Victoria.
The conviction stems from an incident on March 23, 2023, when Carr invited a younger woman to his West Melbourne warehouse. The prosecution alleged that Carr, 66, consumed cocaine and alcohol with the woman before sexually assaulting her. The victim testified that she repeatedly told Carr to stop and that she did not consent to the sexual contact.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Carr made unwanted advances, including kissing the woman and touching her inappropriately after she became upset over a broken relationship. The jury accepted the prosecution's account that Carr proceeded to penetrate the woman with his penis after pulling a blanket off her.
Carr's defense, led by barrister Dermot Dann KC, argued that the woman was an unreliable witness with a financial motive to lie and that the prosecution's case was a mixture of lies and fabrications. Dann claimed Carr showed no interest in the woman, was falling asleep, and had offered to call her an Uber to leave.
However, the jury was not persuaded by the defense's arguments. The victim contacted her mother immediately after the incident, who then alerted the police. Officers arriving at the scene described Carr as charming and charismatic, though he primarily discussed football.
Carr, who was previously married to Australian music star Tina Arena in the 1990s and has represented clients such as Kate Ceberano, Richard Wilkins, Dustin Martin, Vanessa Amorosi, and Pseudo Echo, remained active in the entertainment industry until his arrest.
Carr was taken into custody immediately after the verdict. His defense has indicated plans to appeal and has requested that sentencing be delayed to allow for the appeal application, citing Carr's mental health as a factor.
