Ralph Carr has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence for rape and sexual assault, but is unlikely to have the case heard before the end of the year and is expected to spend Christmas in custody.
Carr, prosecuted under his full name Ralph Carnovale-Carr, was convicted by a jury of two counts of rape and one charge of sexual assault. The offences took place at his home in Melbourne’s west in March 2023.
He was sentenced at Melbourne County Court on August 25 to a maximum of six years in prison, with a minimum term of four years. He appeared by videolink from Melbourne Assessment Prison, wearing prison clothing and without the wig for which he was known.
The former sports and entertainment manager filed the appeal on Tuesday. His barrister, Dermot Dann KC, had previously argued that the convictions represented a serious miscarriage of justice and sought to have the sentence stayed while the case was challenged.
That application was refused by Judge Frank Gucciardo, who described the offending as “very serious”. Mr Dann said Carr maintained his innocence and told the court: “In my view, he should not have been found guilty.”
The barrister also said Carr’s identification had affected his mental health, with suicidal thoughts, depressive symptoms and anxiety. Carr had previously been subject to a suppression order before the guilty verdict.
The court heard that he self-harmed by banging his head against a wall shortly after the conviction. “For someone who maintains innocence, this is a terrible, terrible situation,” Mr Dann said.
The prosecution case was that Carr attacked a woman at his Melbourne home in the early hours of March 24, 2023, after she became upset while discussing the end of a relationship.
She alleged that Carr hugged and kissed her and touched her breasts, waist and buttocks as she tried to push him away. When she told him to stop, he said he could not because she was “so sexy”, before raping her twice while she cried into a pillow.
The woman did not provide a victim impact statement to the court.
In refusing the stay application, Judge Gucciardo said Carr had taken advantage of a woman who was intoxicated, vulnerable and seeking comfort from someone she trusted.
“Your conduct was appalling,” the judge said. “Rape is a crime of violence, this was committed by you in an egregious breach of trust and predatory opportunistic upon a young woman who had admired and had reposed a significant amount of trust in you as a… friend.”
Carr was once married to Australian pop star Tina Arena and helped launch the careers of Vanessa Amorosi and Kate Ceberano. He also managed figures including Richard Wilkins and AFL footballer Dustin Martin.
Judge Gucciardo said Carr’s career was over and described that consequence as “extracurricular punishment”.
