Former Hume City Broncos star Corey Fiddes has been jailed for rape.
The 23-year-old was sentenced in the County Court on Tuesday, March 19 to a minimum 40 months jail, and a maximum serve of five years and six months.
He was found guilty of three counts of rape, and not guilty of two other counts.
The incidents took place at a party on December 31, 2020, where Fiddes and the victim both attended, having not known each other previously.
The court heard, as midnight came around, Fiddes’ victim was about to kiss one of her friends when he turned her around and kissed her.
Fiddes invited her for a game of pool and when she agreed, he led her upstairs to a room and closed the door.
The complainant had told Fiddes she didn’t want to have sex, to which he agreed.
Shortly after, Fiddes removed the complainants pants and asked to perform oral sex and she refused.
He began to touch her inappropriately and when she said she wasn’t interested, Fiddes said “fair enough” and continued.
Fiddes took off his own clothes and laid on top of the complainant and began to perform unconsensual sex, as she told him he wasn’t listening.
After trying to penetrate the complainant and receive oral sex unsuccessfully, Fiddes left the room and the premises, after telling friends he seemed ‘hated for what he did’.
The complainant provided a victim impact statement, detailing the trauma the offences have had on her.
“Before this nightmare began I was so happy… I have a chronic desire to kill myself,” she said.
“(The) trauma of the crime … has led to my mental health plummeting.”
She now sees a psychologist twice a week and said her relationships with family and friends have plummeted.
Dr Phoebe Gall from the Women’s Recovery Network, a mental health facility for victims, said the complainants mental health has taken a downward trajectory, which can be correlated to the assault.
“Her condition has a severe impact on her physical and mental health, it prevents her from day to day functioning, study, or work,” she said in a letter to the court.
Fiddes represented the Hume City Broncos in the Big V competition in 2022 and 2023 and was nominated for Big V awards last year.
In a statement, the Broadmeadows Basketball Association noted that the reported events did not happen while he was at the club, the club was unaware of these legal proceedings during the time with the club and this matter is subject to appeal.
It said it would not be making any further comment.
