Rape charges dropped against Melbourne man after police search found to be illegal

Six officers searched the home on Christmas Day 2020 as part of an attempt to find a missing 17-year-old girl, known as CM, who had left a residential care facility and threatened to kill herself.

Within minutes, the officers found that the home was empty. But officers continued to search the home for more than an hour, allegedly finding drugs, cash and several electronic devices.

One of the officers found a laptop and when it was searched he uncovered a video of a man allegedly raping a woman who appeared to be asleep.

In April 2021, officers obtained a second warrant in order to investigate the material found during the first search.

They again searched the house, seizing the laptop, other electronic devices and allegedly illegal drugs.

The man, who cannot be identified, was charged with four counts of rape, drug offences and breaches of family-violence-related orders. The alleged rapes were committed against his former partner, who told police she had no memory of them and had not consented.