CCTV footage shows former PwC associate David Rayan sexually assaulting 18 women at Prahran nightclub Revolver Upstairs
A PwC associate who preyed on 18 women at a Prahran nightclub brazenly chose to target women as they embraced other men, even putting his hand under one of their tops, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A PwC associate was caught on CCTV footage sexually assaulting more than a dozen women at a popular Melbourne nightclub, with the creep “unusually” choosing to target women as they embraced other men.
David Rayan, 34, preyed on 18 women across three nights in 2023 at Revolver Upstairs in Prahran while he worked as an IT risk analyst for embattled firm PwC – despite believing sexual contact with anyone but his wife would send him “to hell”.
The disturbing CCTV footage was played in the County Court on Monday as the Cranbourne man reluctantly admitted to his offending, with Judge Peter Rozen remarking he was lucky not to have copped a “slap” to the face by the women or their partners.
Prosecutor Nicholas Donaghy told the court the sexual assaults on September 23, October 14 and October 21 took place all over the Chapel St venue, including the bar, the couches, the dance floor and even the stairs.
One snippet of CCTV footage from October 21 shows Rayan standing extremely close to a couple as they kiss on the dance floor.
As the couple embrace, he touches and rubs the woman’s body and kisses her arm, seemingly hoping she will not notice him.
But he was spotted by venue management and booted from the bar.
In another snippet from September 23, Rayan approaches two couples at the bar, lingering behind the women to touch their buttocks and even put his hand under one of their tops.
After a couple of minutes, one husband catches Rayan and pushes him away.
In another shocking snippet, the sex pest trails a woman as she walks up the stairs, bending down and attempting to shove his “puckered lips” under her skirt.
One woman told police she felt so uncomfortable by Rayan’s behaviour she asked a stranger to pretend to be her boyfriend, but he touched her buttocks regardless.
Mr Donaghy said Rayan, who was separated from his wife, was first interviewed by police over two of the incidents and claimed he may have “accidentally” touched the women.
But police reviewed hours of CCTV footage and discovered he had 16 further victims.
“He insisted that flirting with or having sexual contact with anybody other than his wife was against his Christian religion,” Mr Donaghy said.
“He maintained he would not even think about sexual contact with anyone other than his wife because: ‘If I think in that way, I will be going to hell’.”
Judge Rozen described the offending as not only brazen, but “most unusual”.
“The women concerned were so obviously with their boyfriends / husbands,” he said.
Outside court, one of the women said she did not believe Rayan was remorseful, after bravely coming face-to-face with him in the courtroom.
“It seemed to me to be very premeditated … I don’t think a community corrections order is going to be enough to stop him from reoffending,” the 25-year-old said.
“I think he not only deserves, but needs, imprisonment.”
Another woman said the assault had “shattered” her sense of security.
“The idea of going out to nightclubs and bars … now fills me with dread,” she wrote in her victim impact statement.
“This crime has changed me, altered the way I see the world.”
Rayan pleaded guilty to 17 counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted sexual assault, but the hearing was delayed due to his reluctance to enter a guilty plea.
“There was no intention,” he could be heard whispering from the dock.
His defence barrister Alexander Patton told the court his client lost his job in November 2023 and now works as a delivery driver.
He said he was “craving social interaction” when he attended the nightclub in the wake of his marriage breakdown and no longer sees his three-year-old daughter.
When asked whether there was an explanation for the offending, Mr Patton said there was none, suggesting sexual gratification may have played a part.
“To put it bluntly, he’s very lucky he didn’t get a smack on the mouth from someone along the way,” Judge Rozen replied.
Mr Patton argued his client should be spared jail and sentenced to a community corrections order given his lack of prior convictions, with Mr Donaghy conceding a CCO was within range.
But the permanent resident, who was born in India, faces the prospect of his visa being cancelled after serving his sentence.
Wearing dark sunglasses and a face mask, he refused to answer any questions when leaving court, running into the nearby magistrates’ court to escape the cameras.
He will be sentenced on May 5.
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