‘High-profile’ man convicted of rape revealed as Tom Silvagni after gag order lifts

Tom Silvagni, son of Carlton legend Stephen Silvagni, has been named as the ‘high-profile’ man convicted of rape after the lifting of a suppression order.

The man from a high-profile Victorian family who was convicted of rape can finally be named as Tom Silvagni, the youngest son of Carlton champion Stephen Silvagni.

The 23-year-old, who worked as an AFL player manager, won an extraordinary gag order in June last year after he was charged with two counts of rape.

Since then, his criminal case has been shrouded in secrecy, with a series of suppression orders – sought on mental health grounds and to avoid “reputational harm” to his famous family – banning the media from identifying him or his relatives.

But his name can now be published after the sixth and final suppression order was lifted on Thursday, bringing to a close the 17-month legal battle between the Silvagnis and the media.

Tom Silvagni’s identity was suppressed. Picture: David Geraghty

The Silvagnis are one of the AFL’s most famous dynasties, with patriarch Sergio playing 239 games for the Blues from the late 50s to early 70s.

His son, Stephen, followed in his footsteps, enjoying an illustrious 312-game career with Carlton from 1985 to 2001.

He shares three sons with TV personality Jo Silvagni.

The oldest son, Jack, was drafted to the Blues in 2015 and spent a decade at the club, but recently signed on with St Kilda where Stephen works as list manager.

The middle son, Ben, was drafted in 2018 then delisted.

But now, the youngest son, Tom, is behind bars awaiting sentencing after he was convicted by a County Court jury last Friday of two counts of rape following a 10-day trial.

Stephen Silvagni (right) in 2007 with his father Sergio and his sons Jack, 9, Ben, 7, and Tom, 4.

Judge Andrew Palmer, who made the final suppression order on November 21, called for a review on Thursday due to the “significant public interest” in the case.

Silvagni’s defence barrister David Hallowes tried to argue that the suppression order should remain in place, but Judge Palmer disagreed, declaring that it would lift at 4.30pm.

“Everybody knows on social media that the person convicted of rape in this court from a high-profile family is Mr Silvagni,” he told Mr Hallowes.

He added: “Although it cannot be published that Mr Silvagni is the man convicted of rape, it is a matter of common knowledge within Melbourne.”

Judge Palmer remarked that even people in his own life, outside of legal circles, had personally told him Silvagni had been convicted of rape.

Elizabeth Ruddle KC, for the prosecution, argued that the suppression order should be lifted to allow the media to report on Silvagni’s pre-sentence hearing on Friday.

“Silvagni needs to face the music at a certain point,” Ms Ruddle said.

Having swapped his suit for prison greens, the convicted rapist watched the proceedings from Melbourne Assessment Prison.

Stephen and Jo Silvagni depart the County Court in April. Picture: Diego Fedele

Last week, Silvagni gave evidence in a last-ditch bid to convince the jury that he was not the man who raped the complainant, who still cannot be named for legal reasons, inside a Melbourne home in January last year.

The jury delivered its verdict after less than two days of deliberations.

Sitting in the dock, Silvagni started to wipe away tears after the verdict was handed down.

Jo gasped and started to sob, turning around to look at her son with tears in her eyes.

Stephen was stoic as his wife broke down beside him.

During a short break, Silvagni was comforted by his parents, who attended every day of the trial, with Stephen placing a reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, his girlfriend Alannah Iaconis, who began to feel light-headed, lay down across several chairs as she was tended to by court staff.

Silvagni had worked in the AFL management industry at KAPITAL Sports Group since the start of the 2022 season.

His boss Peter Lenton was one of five good character witnesses called by Silvagni as he mounted a defence.

“His role with us was mainly sourcing young prospect draft talent … really to create relationships and be that relationship piece for our firm,” Mr Lenton said.

Tom Silvagni was on bail during the trial. Picture: David Crosling

At the start of the trial, Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams declared that Silvagni committed the rapes “not through threats, not through force … but rather through deception” by pretending to be his mate to trick the complainant.

Then, to cover up his crime, Mr McWilliams said Silvagni deployed “even more deception” by doctoring an Uber receipt, telling lies and recruiting others to adopt his lies in a desperate attempt to “shift the blame”.

The jury heard the complainant attended the lavish Silvagni family home in Balwyn – which has now been sold – on a summer night after she was invited over by his girlfriend.

A boozy gathering had been hosted at the home that day, but only Silvagni, his girlfriend and his mate, Mr B*, remained when the complainant arrived at 12.23am.

Mr McWilliams said the complainant, who was in a “casual sexual relationship” with Mr B, had consensual sex with him in an upstairs bedroom.

At 1.58am, Mr B left in the Uber, arriving at his home at 2.09am.

Stephen and Jo Silvagni leave the County Court on December 5 after their son was found guilty of rape. Picture: NewsWire

After his departure, Silvagni crept into the dark bedroom and lied to the complainant, telling her the Uber had been cancelled and Mr B would be back upstairs soon.

The jury found Silvagni then left the room and re-entered, before sliding into bed with the complainant and pretending to be Mr B as he digitally penetrated her twice.

Mr McWilliams said she knew it was him because he had a different haircut to Mr B, which she both felt and later saw as he ran from the bedroom to the light-filled hallway.

At 2.15am, she messaged Mr B, who confirmed he had arrived home.

The next day, Silvagni used his laptop to alter the Uber receipt, changing the departure time from 1.58am to 2.37am and the arrival time from 2.09am to 2.57am to, effectively, place Mr B at the scene of the crime.

His defence barrister David Hallowes SC said one of the “key issues” of the trial would be whether Mr B returned to the bedroom before catching the Uber.

But Mr B testified that he left the bedroom to move his car, prior to catching the Uber, and he did not recall returning to the bedroom.

Mr McWilliams urged the jurors to accept the complainant’s account, given it had been “consistent, cogent and compelling” from the start.

Silvagni had been facing three counts of intending to pervert the course of justice, but they were dropped by the prosecution in February.

He will return to court for a pre-sentencing hearing on Friday.

*Not his real name

Originally published as ‘High-profile’ man convicted of rape revealed as Tom Silvagni after gag order lifts