‘I feel like my body is not mine’: rape victim tells court

The court heard Thompson raped a 15-year-old girl twice, while she was alcohol-affected and drifting in and out of consciousness, at his Cobram home on January 27, 2023.

The victim and a group of her friends met another friend outside a Cobram hotel, where she was introduced to Thompson, who was aged 27 at the time.

Thompson bought alcohol for the group, who went to a park and continued to drink, before inviting them to his home.

He was lying with the victim on the bottom of his double bunk bed where she was drifting in and out of consciousness, and he raped her twice.

The court heard Thompson told police he thought she was 18, and the sex was consensual because she was moaning and did not tell him to stop.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by a support worker, the victim said no matter how many times she washed her body in the shower, she could “still feel his hands on me”.

She said the assault had changed the way she viewed herself, and she had “lost trust in others”.

“I feel like my body is not mine”, the girl said.

In sentencing Thompson to jail, Judge Robyn Harper said he showed “disgraceful, opportunistic behaviour”, and his offending would have a “significant ongoing effect” on the victim.

She said Thompson showed “shameful conduct”, and the victim was “young, vulnerable and alcohol-affected”, with alcohol supplied by him.

Judge Harper acknowledged Thompson’s “difficult childhood” of being abused by a family friend and bullied at school.

She also noted his anxiety, depression, alcohol-use disorder, acceptance of responsibility and early plea of guilty.

“I hope this sentence makes it clear you can’t act this way in the future,” Judge Harper said.

Thompson was sentenced to four years in prison and will have to serve two years and five months before becoming eligible for parole.

He has served 73 days of pre-sentence detention.

Thompson must also comply with sex offender reporting obligations for 15 years.

GV Centre Against Sexual Assault provides free and confidential counselling, information, advocacy and support to people who have been affected by sexual assault. Call 1800 112 343 or visit gvcasa.com.au