A CYPRIOT tourist who raped a young woman after a late-night souvlaki in Melbourne’s CBD has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail.
Panos Michaelides, 41, had been in Australia just six days on September 1, 2013 when he decided to grab a meal and rape his unsuspecting victim.
The father of two, who was on a three-month tourist visa at the time and on his first night out, was arrested just hours later and has spent 666 days locked up at the Melbourne Remand Centre.
He will spend at least another 14 months behind bars after being set a three-year non-parole period for his guilty plea to a charge of rape.
He will then be deported to England, where he remains a citizen.
The court heard that on the night Michaelides became a rapist he had been binge drinking on stubbies of beer, vodka, and tequila shots with an Irishman he’d met in Australia.
The County Court heard the wealthy plasterer, who lives in Cyprus and speaks only limited English, came across his victim about 2.30am outside the Two Floors Up bar on Lonsdale St — next door to the late night Greek-eating institution Stalactites.
The off-duty barmaid had enjoyed a few drinks after work, and when she and a friend weren’t allowed in they ventured across to the nearby Wah Wah Lounge.
When she wasn’t allowed into the club, her friend went inside and the woman was approached by the drunken predator.
The court heard the victim politely told him to move on and CCTV showed Michaelides venture into Stalactites to buy a souvlaki.
When he returned, souvlaki and Coke in hand, the victim told police he was pushy and had “weird eyes’’.
After Michaelides failed to get the message, she told him to “f— off’’ and proceeded to walk back to the CBD bar where she worked.
CCTV footage allegedly shows the souvlaki-carrying rapist stalk his prey to her workplace, where he pounced.
The court heard the brazen rapist had little regard for the CCTV cameras capturing his every move as he brutalised his terrified victim, who desperately fought to keep him off her.
“This is what happens when you talk to people (like that),’’ he yelled as he smashed her head against a brick wall and pinned her down.
The attack ended only when a person stumbled on the scene.
“This is too hard,’’ Michaelides said before running off.
He was arrested later that morning in a city garden bed and later claimed to have no memory of the attack.
Police found the remains of his souvlaki near the scene of the crime.
His brave victim attended court to tell her violator how the attack had changed her life.
She spoke of being on the cusp of becoming a protective services officer, which was the first step in her becoming a police officer.
“I never made it to the interview,’’ she said. “I never got to live my dream.’’
Instead, the woman spoke of a life of isolation, fear and guilt.
“I no longer believe in hope or trust and I feel like I have been let down,’’ she said. “I have no choice but to continue living this nightmare … I feel like I’m committing the crime.’’
Michaelides’ barrister Luke Barker said his client’s offending was “spontaneous’’ and brought on by the amount of alcohol he had consumed.
He said Michaelides had lived an honest life until coming to Australia for his dream holiday and would now be deported “disgraced, ashamed and wholly saddened’’.
He argued the attack was “unplanned, situational and mercifully brief’’.
“His contrition is palpable,’’ he said.
Judge Jane Patrick condemned Michaelides for his drunken attack on the woman.
“Any woman should be able to walk through the city without fear of being attacked by a drunken male,’’ she said.
In sentencing, Judge Patrick said she took into account Michaelides’ guilty plea, hardship in jail, delay in proceedings and good prospects of rehabilitation.
Herald Sun
