Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt to face trial in July over historical rape accusation
Wolf Creek star John Jarratt will face trial in July next year over a historical rape allegation.
The Wollongong-born actor is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a house in Randwick, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, in September 1976.
He was in Downing Centre District Court on Friday to be arraigned but the judge was told prosecutors had yet to serve the indictment.
Jarratt will now have to enter a plea in February, with a five-day trial set from July 1, 2019.
"I'm very disappointed the Crown is not ready," Judge Helen Symes said.
The court was told the charge certification sheet hadn't been prepared, with the prosecutor speculating it could be because many staff were taking leave over the December-January period.
Police say that in 1976, the then 24-year-old actor entered the bedroom of his then-18-year-old housemate, who cannot be named, while she was sleeping and sexually assaulted her.
Jarratt has strongly denied the allegation.
His lawyer previously told a court that his client's career "has been put on suspension pending this allegation" and he would be seeking an early trial date.
The actor, who has also presented on Play School, is best known for his role in the Australian horror films Wolf Creek and Wolf Creek 2, in which he plays Mick Taylor, a serial-killing pig-hunter who detains and tortures three backpackers in the Australian outback.
The woman who has made the allegation against Jarratt told the Herald last year that she finally felt strong enough to speak out after seeing the experiences of other women and the global #MeToo movement.
She referenced actor Sarah Monahan, who publicly accused Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes of molesting her as a child. Hughes was later convicted and jailed.
"What changed my mind was seeing Sarah Monahan’s [story] play out," the woman said.
"Then all this other stuff came out about Harvey Weinstein and the others … so it made it easier for me to come forward."
AAP, Fairfax Media