A woman not guilty of raping a transgender man while he slept sent a message to the complainant days later apologizing for touching him and saying she thought he “wanted it”, a man said jury.
Natalia Marjorie Hanson was on trial in Brisbane District Court, accused of digitally raping the man, who was transitioning from female to male at the time of the alleged incident more than three years ago.
Natalia Marjorie Hanson was on trial in Brisbane District Court, accused of digitally raping the man, who was transitioning from female to male at the time of the alleged incident more than three years ago.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
A jury took about an hour to reach a unanimous verdict after being sent to deliberate Wednesday.
During closing arguments on Wednesday, Hanson’s defense team urged the jury to carefully evaluate the evidence provided by the plaintiff and determine whether they had any doubts about the element of consent.
“That’s why you would find Ms. Hanson not guilty of the offense,” defense lawyer Charlotte Smith argued.
Natalia Hanson is accused of digitally raping man after being invited to his home in 2020
During closing arguments on Wednesday, Hanson’s defense team urged the jury to carefully evaluate the evidence provided by the plaintiff and determine whether they had any doubts about the element of consent.
Throughout the trial, the Crown argued the man woke up feeling “vaginal pain” and found Ms Hanson digitally raping him on June 29, 2020.
The two men had sent messages on Snapchat and Ms Hanson went to his house the same day.
But Ms Hanson’s defense team said the acts were consensual, pointing to an interview with police in which she gave an “honest” account of the events.
During her closing argument, Crown prosecutor Victoria Adams recited further messages between Ms Hanson and the complainant days after the alleged offence.
The man sent Ms Hanson a message saying: “Why the hell did you touch me while I was sleeping?
She replied, “I thought you wanted it.” I’m sorry.’
Crown prosecutor Victoria Adams said Ms Hanson sent another message in which she said “all I can say is I’m sorry”, while the man replied: “You have lucky I didn’t report it.”
The court was told Ms Hanson then said: “I’m sorry, I always manage to screw things up, I’ll leave you alone, I don’t want to hurt you any more than I have.” done, but just know that I’m sorry and you will never hear or see me again.
“In order to use this evidence as an adverse admission, you must be satisfied that the defendant wrote these messages… (and) the messages accurately reflect an adverse admission, and those confessions indicate the guilt of the accused,” Ms Adams said. said.
The court was told that the main issue in the trial was whether the complainant consented to the act.
Ms Adams said the couple had no intimate relationship at the time.
“It is up to you to determine whether you accept the complainant’s testimony,” Ms Adams said.
Ms Adams highlighted “contradictions” in Ms Hanson’s police interview, including claims she “didn’t have relationships” because she liked having “multiple partners at the same time”.
“They rely on credibility and reliability,” Ms. Adams said.
A jury heard closing speeches from the defense and prosecution during the trial
Ms Smith used her conclusion to urge the jury to carefully consider the testimony given by the man, which she said was “unreliable”.
“He said the words ‘I don’t remember’ 50 times during his testimony,” she said.
“There were other times when he might have said something else, indicating a lack of recollection – ‘I don’t remember,’ for example.
“The sheer number of expressions… was striking.”
Ms Smith said her client’s interview with police was “honest” as she was frank about factors such as his drug use.
In the interview, Ms Hanson is heard saying she heard the man “moaning” during oral sex.
“He was very happy, everything was fine,” she said in the interview.
“He got up, took a shower. After that I said goodbye and went home.
‘It was the first time.’
Ms. Hanson then tells detectives that she stopped when she noticed “a little bit of blood.”
“Because I had long nails at the time, I scratched and scratched a little… as soon as I saw a little blood, I immediately stopped and told him,” says- She.
The man then showered before telling Ms Hanson: “I’ve never bled like that before.”
During the interview, Ms Hanson told police there was “no indication” that the actions with the man were not consensual.
“No, please stop, no, I don’t want that,” Ms Hanson told police.
