Former Melbourne Carl’s Jr. manager Tyler Kidd pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault

Witnesses tell court former Melbourne Carl’s Jr boss ‘aggressively grabbed’ man in a public space night of alleged rape.

Tyler Kidd pleaded not guilty to rape.

A former Melbourne burger boss has denied raping and sexually assaulting a man.

Tyler Kidd, 36, pleaded not guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment.

It’s alleged Kidd, who worked at Carls Jr., raped a man in Port Melbourne on December 29, 2020.

Kidd, who is also charged with multiple counts of assault, allegedly sexually assaulted and detained the man against his will.

Witnesses told the court they saw Kidd in a “verbal and physical altercation” with the complainant on the night of the alleged rape.

“The tone of the argument caught my attention more than anything, and when I saw the two men, he (Kidd) grabbed the other man pretty aggressively,” a witness told the court.

“I heard him (Kidd) trying to convince the other man not to leave.”

Another witness at today’s committal hearing gave a near identical account of the incident outside Kidd’s residence.

Kidd was slated to appear at a committal earlier this year but the matter was adjourned after

he was slapped with fresh charges.

The charges arose after Kidd allegedly contacted the complainant.

The prosecution summarised the new allegations, during an earlier court hearing, and paraphrased a statement made by the complainant on June 3.

“(Kidd) was seeking to have me not attend court,” the complainant said in his statement.

“If I didn't show up to court it will all go away … I think it was (Kidd’s) intention to get me to withdraw my statement.”

The prosecution submitted it would “likely” use the complainant’s statement if the matter progressed to trial.

“(The prosecution would submit the new allegation) is intimidating conduct in the sense that (Kidd’s) trying to prevent the witness from going ahead at trial,” the prosecutor submitted.

“He’s putting some pressure on him, intimidating him and ultimately we would be going to the jury that (alleged conduct) gives rise to an implied admission of guilt.”

Magistrate Roslyn Porter, who presided over both hearings, ordered Kidd to stand trial at the County Court.

Kidd, who claimed he lost his Carl’s Jr. Docklands manager job following media reporting, was bailed to front court at a later date.

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