A well-known Melbourne man in his 60s, who is often seen with sports and entertainment stars, has been accused of rape.
His name cannot be revealed due to a gag order issued by the court to keep his identity secret due to mental health fears and risk of self-harm.
The man is trying to prevent his name from being made public after he was charged with four sex offenses in August Herald Sun reported.
The Melbourne District Court heard he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the trauma of his arrest.
On Tuesday, the court banned the publication of his name and profession in the media after four medical experts gave evidence about the “significant risk” to his mental health.
A well-known Melbourne man in his 60s, often seen with sports and entertainment stars, has been accused of rape but cannot be named due to a gag order. A silhouette of a man is depicted
The man was arrested at his home on March 24 after a woman claimed she had been sexually assaulted, the court heard.
His lawyer, Dermot Dann KC, said there was “drug (and) alcohol use” that evening and the alleged victim claimed she was injured by his client during “a physical altercation.”
The man was later charged with two counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.
He was held in a police cell for about four hours after his arrest and later told his doctor he was “humiliated” by having to be escorted to the toilet by officers.
His “experience of arrest was torture,” Dr. Michael Olenski told the court last month, adding that the man said police used “intimidation tactics” during his interrogations.
The man told his doctor he had “nightmares” and “flashbacks” about the arrest and “burst out in fear and anxiety” as he walked past the police station where he was being held.
The doctor diagnosed him with PTSD, but said it was “specifically linked to Melbourne”, and that he had told his patient he had no problem traveling abroad and abroad for holidays.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court (pictured) heard the man suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the trauma of his arrest
Dr. Olenski said that if the man's identity were revealed it would “almost certainly lead to urgent admission to a private psychiatric hospital” and that he would be at “high risk” of attempting suicide.
The doctor told the court that if the man's name were revealed in the media, his whole life would change.
Magistrate Belinda Franjic said media reporting of the man's name appeared to be “intrinsically linked” to his psychiatric conditions.
The man will undergo a three-day hearing in June.
If you or someone you know needs mental health care, call Lifeline on 13 11 14