Yunxiang Gao rape trial: Alleged victim begged to leave hotel room

A Chinese movie star accused of raping a married woman in a luxury Sydney hotel allegedly ignored her repeated pleas to let her go home, a court has heard today.

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A sobbing Sydney woman said “please, I beg you, let me go home” as a Chinese movie star and his producer repeatedly raped her in a luxury hotel, a court heard.

The married and menstruating crew member will give evidence that she said “don’t do that, I’m still bleeding” as actor Yunxiang Gao and Jing Wang allegedly sexually assaulted her at the Shangri-La Hotel last year.

Chinese actor Yunxiang Gao arrives at his Downing Centre trial. Picture: AAP

But the 37-year-olds, who sat in the dock with interpreters at their Downing Centre District Court trial, claim she was a willing participant in their threesome.

Gao, whose popular singer wife Xuan “Michelle” Dong was not at court with him on Tuesday, allegedly subjected his victim to a traumatising and degrading ordeal in the early hours of March 27, 2018.

The actor ridiculed her as she was forced to perform oral sex on Wang, with Gao urging her to hurry up or she would be there until the sun came up, Crown prosecutor Sean Hughes said.

“Gao was there laughing, saying … “do it quickly” … and slapped her on the buttocks,” he said in his opening address.

The court was packed full of Chinese media and fans scrambling to catch a glimpse of Gao, who has pleaded not guilty to seven charges including aggravated sexual assault in company where the victim was deprived of liberty.

Chinese actor and Gao’s wife Xuan Dong at a previous hearing. Picture: Julian Andrews

Wang has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges including three counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

The complainant is a China-born Australian permanent resident who worked at a Sydney production company, and the prosecution alleges she was attacked after a wrap party for a TV series.

“About four to five years ago my father had worked in a production with Gao. They know each other … he mentioned we look alike,.” the woman said while giving evidence via video link.

This ran through the woman’s mind as she went to the hotel room at The Rocks, expecting other partygoers to be there, the Crown alleges.

Chinese actor Yunxiang Gao has pleaded not guilty. Picture: AAP

Mr Hughes said when the pair started undressing the complainant she repeatedly said “no, I want to go” but after being forced onto her hands and knees she eventually appeared compliant at times while acting out of fear.

CCTV footage from a karaoke bar and outside the hotel will show Wang’s unwanted advances towards the victim, Mr Hughes said.

“Her arms are straight down by her sides, you might think rigidly, while she’s being embraced by Mr Wang,” he said.

But Gao’s barrister Murugan Thangaraj SC said the security tape will prove the woman lied to and misled police.

“You’ll need to consider her honesty and her reliability,” he said.

Yunxiang Gao is a massive star in China: Picture: Adam Yip

Mr Hughes said the complainant initially denied having forced vaginal sex to police and her partner because “she was embarrassed about her husband finding out.”

Wang’s barrister Margaret Cunneen said the woman was “completely free to leave that hotel room at any time.”

“Everything that happened in that room was entirely consensual,” she told the jury.

The trial, which is slated to run for up to five weeks, continues before Judge Penelope Hock.

Originally published as Yunxiang Gao rape trial: Alleged victim begged to leave hotel room