Drugged, raped for 20 hours
A WOMAN was drugged, raped and left helpless for almost 20 hours by a former real estate agent turned serious fraudster, a court has heard.
Steven Chen, 48, invited the woman and a work associate back to his house after a dinner on October 20, 2018.
He offered them both a drink laced with the tranquilliser drug rohypnol until the pair felt “extremely sleepy”.
The Southport District Court heard Chen drove his ex-colleague to a park and dumped him, before returning to the woman.
The court heard graphic detail of how Chen’s victim woke in the night to find him on top of her. The next day the woman was raped again. The court heard Chen spoke to her, but she was unable to respond, or open her eyes.
Chen, who has previously been convicted of sexually assaulting a Korean woman, 26, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two counts of rape and stupefying in order to commit indictable offence.
The accused should not be confused with a real estate agent with the same name, Steven Chen of The Agency.
Crown Prosecutor Michael Mitchell said the offending was clearly planned and premeditated.
“He deliberately set out to, and did, stupefy two people. He removed the male complainant from the house and dumped him … in a park, in a senseless state. He committed two vaginal rapes on the female complainant, who was at that time a virgin, and who had been rendered senseless and unable to resist.
“The offending was prolonged in that (the victim) was rendered unable to resist him for it seems up to 19 to 20 hours from the point the drug was first ingested.”
The court heard the victims were still struggling because of the ordeal.
“It’s obviously had a significant effect, and continues to have a significant effect on (the victims),” Mr Mitchell said.
Defence Barrister Michael Bonasia said his client had abused alcohol to cope with the stress of his failed business due to the Global Financial Crisis.
He said Chen could not recall much from the night because of the alcohol he consumed.
The court heard he was engaging with Alcoholics Anonymous in prison.
Chen has been in custody for 535 days. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years prison in September, 2019, for fraud.
Judge Katherine McGinness reserved her decision.