Ex Melbourne Pegasus Hotel executive chef Michael ‘Mick’ Stafford jailed for raping men

A former top Melbourne exec chef has been served up for raping two men in dual attacks committed months apart.

Chef Michael 'Mick' Stafford was found guilty of rape. Facebook.

A dirty chef who raped two men in separate attacks committed months apart has been jailed.

Michael ‘Mick’ Stafford, 35, was sentenced in the County Court on Thursday to a minimum six years’ jail after pleading guilty to rape by compelling sexual penetration.

Stafford, who was also found guilty of rape and attempted rape, also raped a second man in Fitzroy in mid-2017.

Stafford violated his first victim at his Melbourne apartment in early-2017.

The fully clothed 24-year-old victim fell asleep in Stafford’s loungeroom after the pair returned to the apartment following a night out.

However, the victim woke to find himself in Stafford’s bed with his pants pulled down.

The court heard Stafford, who was Pegasus Hotel Apartments executive chef at the time, performed oral sex and other lewd acts on his victim.

The victim, who recalled he was in shock, said he pretended to sleep for “what felt like five minutes” while Stafford committed his lewd offending.

Stafford held his victim down after the man attempted to roll away, the court was told.

The man pretended to cough then got out of the bed.

Stafford grabbed his victim’s shoulder but the man brushed the fiend off, collected his belongings and left the apartment.

The victim reported the offending to police later that morning.

Investigators set up a pretext call between the victim and Stafford.

Stafford initially claimed he didn’t know what the victim was “talking about” then said he “didn’t mean to do it”.

Stafford then sent his victim a text message about five minutes after the call, the court was told.

“I don’t know what the f*k man, I hope your OK, It’s really not my thing to do,” Stafford said.

Stafford was arrested and interviewed but denied any offending.

The filthy fiend told police he had slept in the bed with the victim but claimed he never had any “sexual interaction”.

However, DNA taken from the man’s penis linked Stafford to the crimes.

Stafford was back in strife after he raped and attempted to rape his second victim barely three months later.

Stafford stuck his finger in his victim’s anus and attempted to perform another lewd act, according to court documents.

The court heard Stafford targeted his victim on the dancefloor at a Fitzroy gay club.

Stafford grabbed his victim’s hand and placed it near his crotch and attempted to place his hand down his pants.

Stafford later digitally raped and attempted to rape his victim.

The court was told the second incident wasn’t reported to police until about 10 months after it occurred.

Stafford chanced his arm at trial but was found guilty of the second offences on July 14 this year.

The court heard Stafford grew up in Blackburn and was considered a “misfit” at school who later found direction through the hospitality industry.

Stafford, a qualified chef, was working at Pegasus Hotel as executive chef and a food and beverage manager up until the commencement of his trial, the court was told.

Judge Mark Gamble jailed Stafford for a maximum nine years.

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