One of the biggest names behind the scenes of Australian sport and entertainment, Ralph Carr, has been sentenced to six years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of a former employee.
Carr, 66, was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday after being found guilty last month of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
He will serve a minimum of four years before becoming eligible for parole.
The offences occurred at Carr’s West Melbourne home in March 2023 after he and the woman, who knew each other professionally, had spent time together earlier that day.
Carr pleaded not guilty and has continued to maintain his innocence.
His barrister, Dermot Dann KC, has strongly challenged the jury’s verdicts and argued in court that the convictions represented a miscarriage of justice. Carr’s legal team has also sought a stay of his sentence pending an appeal.
Carr’s imprisonment is a shocking turn for a man who spent decades representing some of Australia’s best-known entertainers and sporting stars.
He was once married to singer Tina Arena and managed a string of prominent Australian music acts, including Arena, Kate Ceberano, Vanessa Amorosi and Pseudo Echo.
In more recent years, Carr became just as familiar to AFL followers through his management of Richmond superstar Dustin Martin.
Carr’s name had been kept from the public during lengthy legal proceedings under a suppression order.
That changed following his conviction, when he was revealed as the high-profile Melbourne businessman at the centre of the case.
Carr has been in custody since the jury returned its guilty verdicts.
His lawyers told the court during pre-sentence proceedings that his career and reputation had been destroyed by the conviction and publicity surrounding the case.
Tuesday’s sentence means Carr now faces at least four years behind bars before he can seek parole, unless his convictions are overturned on appeal.
Also check out How Celebrity Agent Kept Rape Crimes Secret For Years
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