Former Cowes chef Bradley ‘Brad’ Flanagan found guilty of raping woman after Star Wars DVD

A Cowes chef who raped a woman after watching a Star Wars and playing Guitar Hero claimed his victim instigated sex.

Bradley Flanagan was found guilty of rape. Facebook.

A former Bass Coast chef who raped a woman after the pair watched a Star Wars movie has been jailed.

Bradley Flanagan, 43, was sentenced in the County Court on Friday to a minimum 42-month jail term after he was found guilty of rape.

Flanagan raped his victim after the pair played Guitar Hero, drank wine and watched a Star Wars DVD together in late-2018.

The court heard Flanagan raped his victim after she fell asleep or was too intoxicated to consent.

Flanagan also violated the victim while not wearing a condom and ejaculated in the woman which “increased her risk of sexual transmitted disease”.

The victim noticed physical pain after the rape and rang her mother who told her to report the matter to police.

Flanagan, formerly of Cowes, was arrested and interviewed in late-2018 but wasn’t charged until 2020.

Flanagan, who claimed the victim consented to sex, gave evidence the woman “pushed” towards him, moaned and asked if he was “going to put it in”.

The victim, in a statement submitted to the court, said her “overall wellbeing and enjoyment of life has dramatically declined” following the rape.

“(I) struggled to find time for mental health while trying to maintain career objectives and relationships that ultimately failed,” the victim said.

The court heard Flanagan grew up in Rowville and worked at many restaurants during a 20-year chef career.

Flanagan worked at the Victoria Hotel Elmore north-east of Bendigo prior to going into custody.

“You used her body for sexual gratification when she was not able to articulate her lack of consent or provide any resistance …,” Judge Kevin Doyle said.

“You opportunistically violated her when she was asleep … you took advantage of the circumstances presumably thinking your conduct would pass undetected …

“You treated her as nothing more than an object for your sexual gratification.”

Flanagan was convicted and jailed for a maximum five years and eight months.

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