AFL legend’s son accused of ‘digital rape’, posting images of attack on social media
A rising junior athlete and teen son of an AFL legend has been arrested after allegedly committing a vile act involving a 14-year-old girl. Her parents are pushing for the schoolboy to be charged with serious criminal offences.
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The teenage son of an AFL great is facing serious criminal charges after being arrested by police amid sex crime allegations.
The schoolboy and promising sportsman has been accused of “digital rape” of a 14-year-old girl and posting images of the attack on social media without her permission.
Parents of the distraught girl want police to charge the talented junior athlete after he and two school mates were arrested over the alleged sexual assault and its alleged sharing via mobile phone and social media.
It is believed the girl had been drinking with friends at a Melbourne house party in mid-October and passed out, unaware anything untoward had happened.
But when she attended school the following week, a friend showed her a video circulating on social media allegedly taken while she was unconscious.
A family friend said the girl had been traumatised by the incident and had given a statement to police.
“She’s in a horrific mental state, as any girl of that age would be,’’ he said. “She doesn’t even want to go to school.’’
The Herald Sun understands the video was allegedly distributed via text message and then posted on social media.
Victoria Police confirmed it was investigating after a video recorded on October 12 was uploaded online.
“The video was posted without consent,” a Victoria Police statement said.
Police said two teenage boys have been issued with cautions for distributing an intimate image.
Another boy is “assisting police with inquiries”, the statement said.
“As the investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The Herald Sun has been told police warned the teen his sporting dream is in jeopardy if convicted.
The rising star could also be added to the sex offender’s register if found guilty.
The teenager is alleged to have helped film the incident on a mobile phone. The footage was then shared publicly through a social media app numerous times.
Cyber safety expert Susan McLean said the shocking story should serve as a cautionary tale about social media and the boy should face rape charges.
“I certainly hope the police lay charges, because unless we get runs on the board for any sort of online abuse, there is no deterring factor,” she said.
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“My concern is there is a lot of criminality that happens that doesn’t get reported, no one acts upon it, so the next person comes along and repeats the behaviour because they think it’s acceptable or don’t think there will be consequences.
“It’s appalling criminal behaviour and it’s a sad reflection on society we still have young men who still think it’s acceptable.”
Ms McLean, a former cop of 27 years and Victoria Police’s first cyber investigator, said the fact the accused was a school boy should make no difference to the investigation and that anyone who witnessed, filmed, viewed or shared the video should face action.
“Until you get the full force of the law applied to this sort of behaviour it’s not going to change anything,” she said. “We have such a long way to go.”