AFL star on rape charges
A WOMAN who accused Stephen Milne of sexual assault more than nine years ago will have her day in court after Victoria Police confirmed four counts of rape had been laid against the AFL footballer.
Milne has steadfastly maintained his innocence. He is due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 5.
The decision to lay charges is the culmination of a sequence of events triggered by two detectives who led the original rape investigation.
No charges were laid as a result of the 2004 investigation after then Director of Public Prosecutions Paul Coghlan QC judged there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction against Milne or his co-accused, fellow Saint Leigh Montagna.
Detectives Scott Gladman and Mike Smith subsequently quit the force and publicly accused fellow police sympathetic to the players of sabotaging the investigation by leaking information to the football club and removing interview transcripts from the case file.
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The matter was referred to the Office of Police Integrity in 2010. The OPI report, tabled in May last year, found the rape investigation "had not been deliberately hampered or inappropriately influenced" but identified "a number of deficiencies" in how the case had been managed.
The OPI report led to what Victoria Police yesterday described as an "extensive review" of the case and fresh inquiries by Sexual Crime Squad detectives. Following consultation with the Office of Public Prosecutions, the charges were laid against Milne.
Police said Milne's alleged victim, who was 19 at the time, supported the case going to court.
"In recent years Victoria Police have implemented substantial reforms and improvements to our sex crimes investigative processes which has enabled a number of older investigations to be reviewed, offenders identified and charges laid," a police spokesman said.
"It is unfortunate for all parties concerned that this matter has taken so many years to progress, but having discussed with the alleged victim in this matter, we can confirm that our decision to lay charges accords with her wishes."
Milne, 33, trained with his club yesterday after learning of the charges. It is understood he is determined to play this weekend and continue his AFL career.
St Kilda last night held an emergency board meeting to consider its response to the criminal charges.
The allegations against Milne emerged after he and Montagna took two girls to Montagna's bayside home after a pre-season club function on March 14, 2004.
The footballers and girls paired off and had consensual sex in separate rooms. It is alleged that some time during the night, Milne and Montagna met and suggested they swap partners.
The girl who had been with Montagna told police she did not consent to having sex with Milne.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/a ... 6665925927
Seems like another coverup from this slimy org the AFL............................. :_<> :_<> :_<> :_<>