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Yunxiang Gao rape trial: Sydney woman in tears during testimony

A married Sydney woman nearly vomited as she was raped by a Chinese movie star and his producer, she tearfully told his trial. Yunxiang Gao denies sexually assaulting the woman at the Shangri-La Hotel last year.

RAW: Rape-accused Chinese star arrives at Sydney court

A married Sydney woman broke down in tears while telling a jury she nearly vomited while being raped by a Chinese movie star and his producer in a luxury hotel.

The crew member is giving evidence at the trial of actor Yunxiang Gao and Jing Wang, who deny sexually assaulting her at the Shangri-La Hotel last year after a TV series wrap party.

The 37-year-olds sat in the dock at their Downing Centre District Court trial as the alleged victim said Gao forced her to perform oral sex on him in the bathroom while a naked Wang smoked and watched her from behind.

Chinese actor Yunxiang Gao is on trial accused of rape. Picture: AAP
Chinese actor Yunxiang Gao is on trial accused of rape. Picture: AAP

“I was so scared, in a horrible room, it was dark with a cigarette lit at the back of me. I didn’t know what to do,” she said on Wednesday.

Security footage played to the jury shows Wang and the woman embracing in the hotel’s front driveway before he grabs her by the wrist and leads her into the hotel elevator in the early hours of March 27, 2018.

The complainant said Wang made plenty of unwanted advances at a karaoke bar earlier in the night but his celebrity co-accused had never made her feel uncomfortable until he attacked her in the hotel room.

“With Gao I feel a bit safer because he always very polite, he’s a public figure,” she said.

“He got married, he has a daughter and is someone I can trust. Also because he knows my father.”

Actor Yunxiang Gao arrives at his Downing Centre Court rape trial. Picture: AAP
Actor Yunxiang Gao arrives at his Downing Centre Court rape trial. Picture: AAP

The men claim she was a willing participant in their threesome, but the woman insists she resisted from the outset when Gao first stripped her naked.

“I said,’’ No, I have my period”,” the complainant said.

“He didn’t reply me, but he pushed me down so I had to kneel. Gao took his penis out and put into my mouth … at one point I almost vomit.”

Gao jokingly told the woman “your accent is Beijing” before ridiculing the victim as she performed fellatio on Wang, the court heard.

“Because I wasn’t really moving my head, he said a joke. He said, “are you going to finish it until sun’s out?” and he laughed at me. He slapped on my bum a few times,” the woman said.

The sobbing complainant said she begged the pair to let her go home but Wang forced sex on her while Gao masturbated.

“He ejaculated on my face, my neck, there was some sperm also on my hair.”

After Gao left, Wang made the woman place her hands on the hotel room’s window with the curtains drawn as he tried to rape her from behind, the court heard.

Actor Yunxiang Gao has denied raping the woman. Picture: AAP
Actor Yunxiang Gao has denied raping the woman. Picture: AAP

“I feel so ashamed, because everyone from outside the high rise building can see me,” she said.

Grainy CCTV footage from Gala KTV karaoke club a few hours earlier shows Wang sitting with his arm around the alleged victim, pulling her in close for hugs and turning her face towards him while at one point he pulls the woman back down when she tries to get up and walk away.

Under cross examination, the woman denied ever voluntarily kissing Mr Wang at the bar or on the hotel driveway.

The complainant said she initially denied having forced vaginal sex when reporting her alleged attack to police and her husband because she was in shock, embarrassed and fearful.

“I grew up in China, women don’t report this kind of thing to police because there are famous people, they have power, they are wealthy,” she said.

“They will always have a way to get away from punishment, get away from law … I didn’t want to hurt my family.”

Actor Yunxiang Gao. Picture: AAP
Actor Yunxiang Gao. Picture: AAP

The woman burst out crying when explaining why she did not consent to an internal examination of her vagina, saying she “didn’t want anybody to touch my body again.”

Gao, whose popular actor wife Xuan “Michelle” Dong was not at court, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges including aggravated sexual assault in company where the victim was deprived of liberty.

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

The trial continues before Judge Penelope Hock.

Originally published as Yunxiang Gao rape trial: Sydney woman in tears during testimony

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/national/yunxiang-gao-rape-trial-sydney-woman-in-tears-during-testimony/news-story/c93b9927cc7ad02fdb6700e3ca2151ce