Dann said his client, who appeared via videolink, had also been attacked on social media, despite the court order preventing him from being identified publicly.
“Those people who did attack him on social media, we say should step away from their keyboards and hang their heads in shame because they failed to adhere to or respect … the presumption of innocence,” he told the court.
Co-accused Patrick Sinnott arrives at court, where his case along with Tanner Bruhn for rape has been dropped.Credit: Justin McManus
“Thereafter anyone who wants to comment on this case, should do so on understanding that Mr Bruhn was presumed innocent … he should be regarded now and forever as someone who was 100 per cent innocent.”
The AFL confirmed in a statement it had stood Bruhn down from participating in both the AFL and VFL for the 2025 season after learning of the criminal charges early this year.
Moya O’Brien, for Sinnott, said her client and his family had borne the brunt of publicity about the case while Bruhn’s name remained suppressed.
Outside court, lawyer Anna Balmer spoke on Bruhn’s behalf, saying he wanted those responsible for the failed prosecution to be held to account.
“Tanner wants to see those responsible for making these false allegations held to account and we should all hope that Victoria Police properly investigates what appears to be an attempt to pervert the course of justice,” Balmer said.
“The last year of Tanner’s life has been horrible. He’s understandably upset.
“Tanner wants to put this … behind him and get on with his future. He’ll comment himself in due course.”
Holly Boylan, for Sinnott, read a statement on her client’s behalf saying he hoped it marked the end of a difficult chapter and the case had had a deep and far-reaching impact on him and his family.
The court had already heard that the two men met the complainant at Geelong’s Alley Cat strip club at about 4am on February 5, 2023.
They then allegedly coaxed the woman into her car, before driving off and allegedly raping her in a suburban car park.
Bruhn’s lawyer Anna Balmer speaking to media next to co-accused Patrick Sinnott.Credit: Justin McManus
However, two witnesses gave evidence that the woman had lied about the alleged attack, telling the court they were told that the men had paid the woman for sexual services but, after she demanded more money and they refused, she had reported the interaction as rape.
“[I concluded that] if she consented and requested payment for services, she provided consent; therefore it is not right … if she then reported it as rape – that would be lying to the police,” one of them said.
A crucial witness to the prosecution’s case, Harrison Martin, also admitted lying during his evidence, conceding in court that he actually had no memory of the night.
He said the alleged victim had told him what to write in his police statement and that she had made up the rape accusations levelled against the pair.
“I have no memory of the two accused really even being there in the first place – let alone the night,” Martin told the court.
The admission followed a day of evidence in which Martin recalled watching the complainant being coaxed into her car by Bruhn and Sinnott. He also claimed one of the men had pushed him to the ground when he tried to intervene.
He claimed to have made a phone call to the woman, answered by one of the accused, and that he heard the alleged victim in the background call out, saying she was in trouble.
But Martin abruptly left the witness box partway through his evidence, complaining of a medical issue.
The court heard that soon after he told the police officer in charge of the case that he had lied in his statement, had never been “bashed” by one of the accused, and had made up evidence about the phone call.
Sinnott and Bruhn stood charged with several counts of sexual assault, including rape, but have always denied the charges.
Magistrate Kimberley Swadesir ordered the chief commissioner pay both men’s costs, which O’Brien told the court were “significant”.
Geelong listed Bruhn as having sustained a finger injury in February, and he missed the entire season. He remains contracted until the end of 2027.
In a statement, the club said they had provided professional welfare to Bruhn during this time and would continue to do so.
“Tanner will return to the football program for the start of pre-season training,” the statement said.
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