Peng Yang pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault

A former nurse is standing trial in Geelong for allegations of sexual assault and rape.

Peng Yang outside Geelong Court.

A former nurse with ambitions to become a doctor is standing trial in the County Court in Geelong for charges of sexual assault and rape.

Peng Yang, 38, also known as “Chris” was employed at the city’s St John of God Hospital when he allegedly committed the offences in 2019.

On Monday, Crown prosecutor Richard Pirrie said Mr Yang was alleged to have committed the acts four years ago while he was giving the complainant a bath.

Defence counsel for Mr Yang, Dermont Dann said his client’s case was that “he is completely innocent” and had done nothing wrong whatsoever.

In the Crown’s opening, Mr Pirrie said Mr Yang is alleged to have given the complainant a bath and wiped down the complainant’s genitalia.

Mr Pirrie alleges the accused pulled the complainant’s underwear down and that the conduct was of a sexual nature.

The court was told Mr Yang was also alleged to have made a comment to the complainant saying “you are getting horny, how often do you have sex?”.

Mr Pirrie said Mr Yang then began to masturbate the complainant’s genitalia before orally raping the complainant.

It is alleged the third sexual assault took place a few moments later when Mr Yang put his hand underneath the complainant’s blanket and began masturbating the complainant’s genitalia.

Mr Dann said the first charge of sexual assault, which involved wiping the complainant’s genitalia, was not of a sexual nature, but rather Mr Yang was performing his duties as a nurse.

“In the defence case there is no masturbation whatsoever. It never occurred. There is no sucking of the genitalia, nothing like it ever occurred, there is no discussion about if the complainant was feeling horny or anything like that,” Mr Dann said.

“In the defence case, those allegations are ridiculous,” Mr Dann said.

Mr Yang has pleaded not guilty to three charges of sexual assault and one charge of rape by compelling sexual penetration. The trial continues.

Originally published as Peng Yang pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault