Man accused of rape in aftermath of AFL Grand Final appears in court * Paul Anderson
* From: Herald Sun
* November 19, 2010 2:45PM A MAN charged over the alleged rape of a woman in South Melbourne after the AFL Grand Final has appeared in court for the first time charged with eight sex offences.
Fraser James Pope, 22, of Elwood, said nothing throughout the short filing hearing at Melbourne Magistrates' Court today.
Mr Pope is a VFL footballer who played with Coburg this season after moving from Queensland where he played for Southport.
Coburg, aligned with AFL club Richmond, says it is conducting its own investigation into the matter.
Two Collingwood players - premiership player Dayne Beams and grand final emergency John McCarthy - have previously been named as having been interviewed by police in relation to the alleged sex assault.
The two have not been charged and, according to their club, strenuously deny any wrongdoing and have been co-operative with investigators.
The sex crime is alleged to have occurred less than 10 hours after Collingwood's grand final triumph over St Kilda.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/man-accused-of-rape-in-aftermath-of-afl-grand-final-appears-in-court/story-e6frf7kx-1225956475436
