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AAP
AAP
National
Tara Cosoleto

Tom Silvagni launches appeal against rape convictions

Tom Silvagni has filed an appeal against his rape convictions. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Rapist Tom Silvagni has lodged an appeal against his convictions, less than a month after he was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman.

The son of AFL great Stephen Silvagni was in December found guilty of two charges of rape following a trial in the Victorian County Court.

Silvagni had denied he digitally raped the woman - known under the pseudonym Samantha Taylor - at his Melbourne home in the early hours of January 14, 2024.

Tom Silvagni court sketch (file)
A County Court jury found Tom Silvagni guilty of two counts of rape. (Anita Lester/AAP PHOTOS)

Ms Taylor, who had a brief relationship with Silvagni's friend Anthony LoGiudice, had been invited to join them all at the house by Silvagni's girlfriend Alannah laconis.

The four of them chatted for some time before heading separately to bed and Ms Taylor had consensual sex with Mr LoGiudice.

He then had to leave so he organised an Uber and left the property shortly before 2am.

Silvagni then went to Ms Taylor's room and lied, telling her Mr LoGiudice would be returning upstairs soon because his Uber had been cancelled.

But Silvagni went into the dark bedroom a short time later and pretended to be Mr LoGiudice as he digitally raped the young woman twice, the court was told.

In the days that followed, Silvagni fabricated an Uber receipt to make it look like Mr LoGiudice had left his home after 2.30am.

Silvagni admitted forging the receipt but said he did so because he panicked after being falsely accused of rape.

But a County Court jury rejected his story, finding him guilty of two counts of rape on December 5.

He was jailed for six years and two months on December 17, with Judge Gregory Lyon describing the offending as egregious and callous.

The 23-year-old will be eligible for parole after three years and three months.

Silvagni's parents made a statement to the media after he was convicted, stating their son maintained his innocence and would clear his name.

Lawyers for Silvagni have since filed an appeal against his two rape convictions, the Victorian Court of Appeal confirmed on Wednesday.

The grounds of the appeal are yet to be released to the media.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

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