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Milne’s alleged rape victim told him ‘no’, court told

A woman allegedly raped by former St Kilda footballer Stephen Milne had repeatedly asked him to stop, the Melbourne Magistrates court has heard.

In June, Stephen Milne was charged with four counts of rape over an alleged incident in 2004 involving a 19-year-old woman after a night out with St Kilda teammate Leigh Montagna.

Police allege the woman was raped in a bedroom at Montagna’s home after a club family day.

At a pre-trial hearing today, prosecutors have told the court the incident took place in a darkened room at Montagna’s house, and the woman believed the man kissing and fondling her was Montagna, not Milne.

It is alleged the woman and Montagna had engaged in consensual sex earlier in the evening.

The prosecution has told the court she said “Leigh, remember last time?” when Milne tried to have sex with her.

The court heard that upon realising who he was, she felt sick, and immediately left the room.

Milne was arrested after the woman complained to police.

He denies the charges and told police he believed the woman knew who he was.

Montagna, in his police interview, denied the men had agreed to swap partners, but conceded the woman could have been in some doubt about who was with her on the bed.

At the time of the alleged incident, the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to lay charges, saying there was insufficient evidence.

However in 2011, there were claims that a senior detective was pressured to drop the case against Milne, which led to a review of the case by the Office of Police Integrity.

That review recommended police review the brief of evidence to ensure that all relevant information had been properly recorded and retained.

The hearing, to determine if the case should go to trial, is set down for four days.

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