Two men acquitted of raping intoxicated woman picked up while waiting for Uber in Darwin
Consensus Summary
A jury in Darwin’s Northern Territory Supreme Court acquitted Panormitis Charalampis and Michael Vrouvis of all charges related to the sexual assault of a woman they picked up while she waited for an Uber outside a nightclub in January 2024. The case hinged on consent, with prosecutors arguing the woman was severely intoxicated—with blood alcohol levels between 0.1 and 0.2—and unable to give meaningful consent, supported by CCTV footage showing her struggling to walk. The defence countered that the woman’s memory gaps did not prove incapacity to consent, and her behaviour (e.g., walking naked, sharing a cigarette) suggested she was not a passive victim. Both sources agree the woman’s testimony was fragmented, but Article 1 emphasizes the judge’s explicit rejection of her recollection as unreliable, while Article 2 focuses more on the prosecution’s portrayal of her intoxication and the men’s alleged exploitation of her vulnerability. The trial lasted two weeks, with closing arguments delivered by Crown Prosecutor Rebecca Everitt and defence lawyers Beth Wild and Stephen Robson SC, who argued the men genuinely believed the woman was consenting. The acquittal followed nearly seven hours of jury deliberation, with emotional reactions from the accused men’s family outside court.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Panormitis Charalampis and Michael Vrouvis were acquitted on all charges of sexual intercourse without consent by a jury in the Northern Territory Supreme Court after almost seven hours of deliberation
- The men faced four counts each of sexual intercourse without consent after picking up the woman outside a nightclub in Darwin in January 2024
- The woman alleged she was severely intoxicated, 'in and out of consciousness,' and unable to consent, with blood alcohol levels estimated between 0.1 and 0.2 when she arrived at the apartment
- CCTV footage showed the woman crawling and needing assistance to walk before being taken to the men’s car, contradicting her claim of being carried
- The trial took place in the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin, with closing arguments delivered by Crown Prosecutor Rebecca Everitt and defence lawyers Beth Wild and Stephen Robson SC
- The woman’s testimony included fragmented memory gaps, with her describing 'elaborate and extensive sexual interactions' but admitting she did not recall everything due to intoxication
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Family members of the accused men became audibly emotional and broke into tears as the verdict was delivered
- Defence lawyer Stephen Robson SC stated outside court that 'justice was done' and the defence case was that the complainant 'was not so drunk as to be incapable of consenting'
- Justice Judith Kelly explicitly stated the woman’s memory of being picked up and carried was 'completely wrong' and demonstrated 'unreliability,' citing CCTV footage showing her walking across the road
- The defence argued the woman’s behaviour—including walking onto a balcony naked and sharing a cigarette—was 'inconsistent with her believing at that time that the two men were rapists'
- The defence contended the men’s actions (e.g., asking for her phone number, offering breakfast) were inconsistent with a belief there was a substantial risk she was not consenting
- The article includes specific quotes from defence lawyer Beth Wild representing Charalampis, detailing her arguments to the jury
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 states the woman’s memory was 'completely wrong' and 'unreliable' based on CCTV footage, while Article 2 does not explicitly state this conclusion from the judge
- Article 1 mentions the woman’s mother and housemate testified during the trial, but Article 2 does not mention their testimony
- Article 1 includes the detail that the men remained in the apartment for 'eight-and-a-half hours,' while Article 2 does not specify the duration beyond the night of January 14, 2024
- Article 1 notes the defence lawyer Beth Wild represented Panormitis Charalampis, but Article 2 lists James Stuchbery as one of the defence lawyers without specifying representation
- Article 1 states the woman’s blood alcohol level was between 0.2 and 0.1, while Article 2 states it was between 0.2 and 0.1 (same range) but does not include the exact phrasing of '0.2 to 0.1'—only 'between 0.2 and 0.1'
Source Articles
Jury clears men accused of raping intoxicated woman waiting for an Uber
Two men accused of raping a young woman they picked up while she waited for an Uber have been acquitted on all charges by a Northern Territory jury....
Trial of two men accused of rape in Darwin hears closing arguments
The jury in the trial of two men accused of picking up a young woman waiting for an Uber after a night out and raping her in her home has heard closing submissions....