Former Australian Defence Force Academy cadet Jake Sullivan testifies in court that he did not sexually harass his fellow cadet

A 24-year-old former army cadet has flatly denied forcing a colleague at the Australian Defence Force Academy to do anything against her will when the two had sex after a night of drinking in March 2022.

WARNING: The following story contains graphic content that may be disturbing to readers.

Jake Sullivan faces six charges, including rape, indecent assault and battery.

The alleged victim told the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory that the couple had agreed to have sex that same evening, but after about ten minutes Mr Sullivan became aggressive and when she turned away from him and said she wanted to sleep, he became upset and carried on.

She said she was afraid of him because he was bigger than her, so she went along with it because she knew he wouldn't stop.

The woman told police that after the incident she noticed numerous bruises on her body, including on her arms, chest and buttocks.

Friends of the woman told the court they found her the next day on her bedroom floor in a state of utter despair.

Under questioning by his own lawyer today, Mr Sullivan denied the woman's allegations, which include violently pulling out her hair.

“No, I never pulled her hair,” said Mr. Sullivan.

When asked by his lawyer, Jack Pappas, whether he had twisted her breasts “in a really violent way,” Mr. Sullivan said: “No, I never did anything like that, no.”

Mr Sullivan denied biting or hitting the victim and, responding to another allegation that he had penetrated her with his finger or thumb, said: “That's just another lie.”

“No, I never forced her,” he said.

Mr Sullivan became aware that the woman was unhappy, the court hears

Mr Sullivan said he noticed she was unhappy after the two took a shower together.

He told the court that the woman told him she was in pain.

But Mr Sullivan said when he told her he wanted something to eat because he was hungry, the woman was “not impressed”.

“She seemed upset by that comment,” Mr Sullivan said.

He said he told her he would message her in the morning, but when he tried, he realized he had been blocked.

Mr Sullivan said this had happened before when the two met more frequently in 2020, and this time he did not make much effort to contact her, saying: “I left it at sex.”

The court concluded that he was unaware of the allegations until his arrest months later.

When questioned by District Attorney Trent Hickey, Mr. Sullivan denied injuring the alleged victim during the encounter.

“I did not inflict any injuries on her,” Mr. Sullivan said.

“None of the marks on her were caused by me.”

Mr Sullivan also told the court that he believed the woman was infatuated with him at the time.

The man stated in court that he was only interested in her as a “friendship with benefits” and did not want anything more.

He said it was difficult for him to make the connection between the incident between them and the complaint the woman had made to a friend who had called her that same evening.

The process continues.