Kristopher John Shaw pleads not guilty to raping woman during magic mushroom trip in Byron Shire
An alleged rapist is on trial in a Northern Rivers court denying preying on a woman after they visited a Byron Shire hotel, took magic mushrooms and played with a goat.
Police & Courts
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An alleged rapist has denied preying on a woman after they visited a Byron Shire hotel, took magic mushrooms and played with a goat.
Kristopher John Shaw from the Macedon Ranges in Victoria is on trial in Lismore District Court.
The 33-year-old has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent.
On Wednesday, Crown Prosecutor Kate Biffin told the jury, consisting of six women and six men, that the alleged victim and Shaw began having casual sex after they met at a coffee cart in 2020.
Ms Biffin said it was alleged Shaw had sex with the woman without consent and knowing he did not have consent on December 5 of the next year.
The complainant and Shaw went to the Billinudgel Hotel, about 22km from Byron Bay, the court heard.
The pair consumed psilocybin ‘magic mushrooms’ and went back to Shaw’s property, where they played with a goat while waiting for the psychedelic drug to kick in.
Ms Biffin told the court the accused allegedly wanted to have sex with the woman and she said no because she was on her period.
It is disputed in the trial whether the pair engaged in oral sex before heading back to the pub, or whether they went to Shaw’s home.
The prosecution alleges the woman lay on Shaw’s bed and he pushed his penis into her back.
It’s alleged the woman again told Shaw no when asked to have sex but he rolled her over and anally raped her.
The complainant allegedly screamed “What the f--k are you doing” at Shaw and expressed her anger at him.
Shaw apologised, according to the prosecution, and the alleged victim later spoke about the incident to two women and made a police report in June 2022.
Shaw’s defence barrister Megan Cusack said her client “made it plain” to police officers that no sexual intercourse occurred on the night.
Ms Cusack told the court Shaw said he and the woman both returned to their own homes after they went back to the pub.
“He says nothing happened,” she said.
The trial overseen by Judge Jonathan Priestley continues.
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