Melbourne Businessman Accused of Rape, Defence Claims 'Serial Liar'

A woman who accused a well-connected Melbourne businessman of rape is a serial liar and made "false allegations" in court, defence lawyers say.

In a blistering closing address, defence barrister Dermot Dann KC told a jury it needed to clear his client of rape and sexual assault charges because of a "horrible" prosecution case.

"There are cases when complainants … make false allegations, make false statements, give false evidence in court," Mr Dann said.

"This is one of those cases."

The accused man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty before the County Court.

The case centres around events at his house on the night of March 23, 2023 and early the following morning.

The complainant had previously worked as the man's personal assistant and had been in discussions about returning to his business.

Prosecutors allege the pair had spent the night drinking and consuming cocaine, before the alleged rape took place in his bedroom. The alleged penetration lasted a matter of seconds and ended when the woman punched the man in the face, the court heard.

But Mr Dann said the rape did not occur and accused the woman of telling "lie after lie" about the night in question and events beforehand.

Earlier, prosecutor Matthew Fisher told the jury the accused man raped the woman who was "emotional" and "vulnerable" after breaking up with her boyfriend.

Mr Fisher said the complainant's allegations about the rape had remained consistent in police interviews and throughout the three-year legal process.

The prosecutor rejected suggestions the woman concocted a "master plan" to make up the rape claims to extort money from the accused man.

"She was only there in the first place because … he was offering her a job," he said.

Mr Fisher said it was true the woman had engaged civil lawyers after the alleged incident and had wanted financial compensation from the man.

"The fact that she was keen to be compensated does not equate to her lying or making all this up," he said.

Woman pulled over for drink-driving in 2019

The woman's evidence in the trial, which ran for several days, took place in closed court with only lawyers, the accused and the jury present.

Mr Fisher said at times the woman smiled, chuckled and laughed in the witness box and was pulled up for swearing. However, he maintained, none of that proved she lied about the rape allegations.

The prosecutor also took aim at the defence for calling a "star witness" to damage the woman's credibility.

The witness was a veteran police officer who pulled the woman over for drink-driving in 2019. The officer said the woman falsely accused him of calling her a "little slut" while she was in custody.

Mr Fisher said the jury should accept the woman's version of events over the police officer's.

"One of them is lying under oath," Mr Fisher said.

The trial continues.