Tom Silvagni: Man from prominent AFL family jailed for six years and two months for raping woman twice
The youngest son of a prominent AFL family has learnt his fate for the “callous” rape of a woman while pretending to be a friend of his.
Convicted rapist Tom Silvagni has been jailed for six years and two months over the “insidious” sexual abuse of a young woman at his parents’ home.
Silvagni, 23, returned to Victoria’s County Court on Wednesday, less than two weeks after a jury found him guilty of two counts of rape on December 5.
Shortly after 10am, the son of Carlton Hall of Famer Stephen Silvagni and brother of St Kilda star Jack Silvagni was beamed into the courtroom from the Melbourne Assessment Prison, wearing a green sweatshirt and sporting a new stubble beard.
More than 50 people were present in court.
Handing down the televised sentence, Judge Gregory Lyon said Silvagni would serve a minimum of three years and three months before becoming eligible for parole.
Tom Silvagni, the court was told, spent his first week in custody under a 23-hour lockdown. Picture: NewsWire / David Geraghty
Silvagni has been jailed for six years and two months. Picture: NewsWire/ Anita Lester
His parents, Stephan and Jo Silvagni, sat closest to the door, while the woman their son raped sat alongside family on the opposite side of the court.
Samantha Taylor, a pseudonym given to the woman by Judge Lyon, cried as the sentencing remarks were read, while Jo Silvagni appeared, at times, to stare at her from across the court.
Tom Silvagni maintained an emotionless face but at times appeared as though he was holding back tears as his chin and mouth quivered and his eyes grew wider.
Jo and Stephen Silvagni arrive at the County Court of Victoria with their son’s lawyers. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
Judge Lyon said Ms Taylor had been invited around to the Silvagnis’ extravagant Balwyn North home on a summer’s day in January last year.
After a time spent socialising with Silvagni, his girlfriend Alana Iaconis and a male friend of Silvagnis, with whom the woman had previously had a casual sexual relationship, Ms Taylor and the friend had consensual sex in a guest bedroom.
The friend left shortly before 2am after receiving a text from his parents, with Silvagni soon opening the door to tell Ms Taylor his friend’s Uber had cancelled and he’d return upstairs in a few minutes.
Judge Lyon said a short time later Silvagni snuck into the dark bedroom and climbed into bed with Ms Taylor, penetrating her vagina with his fingers.
The judge said Ms Taylor suspected “something was wrong” and wiggled away, with Silvagni then grabbing her, pinning her hands and again inserting his fingers.
The court was told the woman continued to say stop and her brain “clicked”, and she realised it was not the friend.
“Stop Tom, I know It’s you,” Judge Lyon said quoting her.
A court sketch of Silvagni after being found guilty of two counts of rape. Picture: NewsWire/ Anita Lester
Silvagni quickly left the room but returned minutes later under the guise he’d “heard a noise and was checking if anything was wrong”.
He denied it was him that raped Ms Taylor when challenged and asked for a hug before she left in an Uber.
‘Deception and deflection’
In the days and weeks that followed, Judge Lyon said Silvagni’s actions towards Ms Taylor were “egregious” and his friend “utterly appalling and shameful”.
He lied to Ms Taylor, claiming the friend had admitted it was him and doctored an Uber receipt to show the man had left after Ms Taylor.
Silvagni asked his friend to lie and claim his Uber had been cancelled and that he waited in another room for a second Uber, leaving the home after Ms Taylor did.
In a phone call on January 25, secretly recorded by police, Judge Lyon said Silvagni claimed his friend’s account of events and the doctored Uber receipt “all matched up” and she should “not pursue this matter further”.
Silvagni’s trial was held in the County Court. Picture: NewsWire / Penny Stephens
‘Lack of empathy’
Judge Lyon found Silvagni’s offending was serious and his moral culpability was very high.
He described the first rape, occurring through deception, as “insidious” and the second, restraining Ms Taylor despite her protests, as “callous”.
The judge said Ms Taylor’s victim impact statement to the court, read over 30 minutes last Friday, was a “heartfelt and eloquent account of the trauma she continues to feel 23 months after”.
“Ms Taylor’s demonstrated courage is hopefully a positive sign she is on the path to recovery,” he said.
Judge Lyon said Silvagni had displayed zero remorse or insight into his offending.
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Stephen and Jo Silvagni leave court after son’s rape conviction
Former Carlton heavyweight Stephen Silvagni and his wife Jo ignore questions from the media after…
The court was told he had no prior offences and several character references had described him as a “respectful and considerate young man”.
After his own AFL career hopes were dashed, Silvagni got a degree in business and worked for several years as a part-time AFL players agent, Judge Lyon said.
Judge Lyon said the courts had “long recognised” that an offender’s youth should mitigate his sentence, understanding young offenders often “lack the insight and self-control” of an adult.
He found Silvagni’s prospects of rehabilitation were “very good”, noting his unwavering family support, educational achievements and good initial experience in the workforce.
The court was told Silvagni experiences deep shame in relation to the impact this case has had on his family, which had compounded his longstanding mental health issues.
Stephen and Jo Silvagni, the parents of Tom Silvagni (right), told media they ‘stand firmly behind’ their son. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling
The rape case had been shrouded in secrecy by a series of suppression orders since Silvagni was charged in June last year, with a final order revoked last Thursday by Judge Andrew Palmer.
“At some point he will have to reconcile himself to the reality that he has committed these offences and there is media interest in them,” the judge said.
Prosecutors had not called for Silvagni to be registered as a sex offender.
Silvagni maintains his innocence, with his father Stephen telling the media last week the family are “considering our options to appeal”.
Stephen and Jo Silvagni quickly left the court minutes after the sentence, declining to speak to the media.
