Former Bowral High teacher Alexander Manojlovic guilty of raping student
A district court jury has delivered its verdicts in the trial of ‘cool’ Bowral High School teacher Alexander Manojlovic, 40, who is accused of raping a student at his mum and dad’s house.
Canberra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Canberra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Dealer sentenced after being found with 693 ecstasy pills
- Soldier allegedly told woman ‘I have always been a dirty fox’
A former Bowral High School teacher faces a long stint behind bars after a jury found him guilty of raping a student on the couch at his mum and dad’s house.
Alexander Manojlovic, 40, of Berrima, woke up in jail on Tuesday morning after his first night in the clink, after District Court Judge Mark Williams remanded him in custody late on Monday following unanimous guilty verdicts on a string of child sex charges.
Manojlovic drank at least five bottles of wine when he asked his teenage victim to give him a ride home from his parents house, only to take her keys from her, lock the front door and rape her, despite her rebuffing a series of aggressive sexual advances.
His week-long trial at the Goulburn District Court heard the teen felt powerless to stop Manojlovic’s advances and never consented to him raping her.
Manojlovic’s unsuccessful defence rested on an attempt to discredit the teen and paint her as a “troubled” girl who willingly took part in the encounter.
Manojlovic’s legal team also unsuccessfully argued the teen fabricated the claim she was raped after news of her spending time with Manojlovic started circulating among friends and family.
Manojlovic’s barrister, Ian Lloyd QC, told the jury at the start of the trial the District Court was “not a court of morals”.
Manojlovic was, at the time he raped the teen, dating a former Bowral High School student.
He told police in an interview he stopped midway through assaulting his victim because he knew it was against the code of conduct for schoolteachers in New South Wales, not because it was against the law.
He claimed he was so drunk at the time he couldn’t have locked the teen inside the Colo Vale house because he was likely unable to stand up.
Goulburn police are also investigating Manojlovic over threats he made against the reporter covering his trial.
“There’s no Walkley award in this, you c*nt,” he said as he arrived at court, according to a statement made to police.
“I’m about to bash your brains in.
“You’re fucking dead.
“Did you go to Macleay College? Because you’re not a real journalist.”
Manojlovic returns to court for sentencing proceedings on April 20.