Brisbane man Bryce Marchant pleads not guilty to raping woman at Lismore, fighting charge in District Court trial
A wannabe reality dating show star from Brisbane told a woman he was “sorry” she was “living in pain” after he allegedly raped her in the Northern Rivers. He is fighting accusations at trial.
Police & Courts
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A wannabe reality dating show star told a woman he was “sorry” she was “living in pain” after he allegedly raped her in the Northern Rivers, a court has heard.
Personal trainer Bryce Marchant, who was living in Alstonville but now resides at Bowen Hills in Brisbane, has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent in a trial underway in Lismore District Court.
The 23-year-old has denied forcing himself on the woman in the context of otherwise consensual sexual encounters.
Mr Marchant faced cross-examination on Tuesday.
The prosecution alleges the woman told Mr Marchant she was too tired to have sex while at her East Lismore home on June 25, 2020.
The woman alleged to the court Mr Marchant was “really persistent” and she felt pressured to perform oral sex to stop advances.
A jury of 12 heard she claimed Mr Marchant “pushed” her down, declared it was “too much for him” and tore off the woman’s shorts before penetrating her.
“I said no a lot of times, but it just happened anyway,” the complainant alleged.
The woman alleged she was bleeding after the “aggressive” act.
Mr Marchant told the court allegations were “false”, he did not pressure the woman and helped her take clothing off.
He said he considered the interaction consensual because the woman responded “in a positive way” and did not say “no”.
Mr Marchant told the court he was “gentle”, but “light bleeding” prompted him to ask if the complainant was OK. He said the woman told him she was on her period.
The woman went to a GP and made a rape report on July 8, reporting bleeding, but no bruising was noted, the court heard.
The court heard Mr Marchant had been working as a trainer as Edge Fitness Alstonville when he met the woman in May 2020.
Things deteriorated when Mr Marchant told her in early July he had made it through the first stage of auditions for an Australian reality TV show, the court heard.
“She grew silent for a moment and then she said to me … ‘how will we continue our relationship if you’re on a dating show’,” Mr Marchant said.
“I said ‘what do you mean? We’re not in a relationship’.
“She grew visibly agitated and protested the idea of the reality show.”
Mr Marchant said he told the woman “you’re acting crazy right now”.
Giving evidence, a friend of the woman told the court Mr Marchant called the alleged victim “some really horrible names” on the call and she was “very angry and upset”.
The friend said the complainant asked her if bleeding after sex was normal and then told her Mr Marchant had raped her.
The friend said she was told Mr Marchant was “intimidating her and she kept saying no”.
The prosecution told the court of phone calls between Mr Marchant and the woman in late 2021 and early 2022, facilitated by police as part of the investigation – without the accused’s knowledge.
“I cannot tell you how sorry I am,” Marchant was recorded saying.
“I feel really terrible you’re out there living in pain over actions that I have taken.”
Prosecutor David Morters said: “You’re explaining why you had non-consensual sex with her.”
“That is an admission by you,” he said.
Mr Marchant told the court he was placating the woman and “validating her feelings”, while not admitting to rape.
Asked why he did not refute allegations on the call, Mr Marchant said he was concerned the woman would escalate the situation and he “didn’t want to poke the bear”.
“Potentially she would make it a bigger issue by spreading it on Facebook … or any other option she could to attack me,” he said.
The trial continues.
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