Vanessa Scammell

As mentioned, there was no act alleged in the particulars.

This is but one of the astonishing facts of this case, the DPP versus McLaughlin.

It seems a man can be charged with an attempted assault, but have no explanation given as to what that assault even was.

The charge sheet simply read, the accused, Craig McLaughlin, in Melbourne between April 20 and 13 July 2014, did attempt to assault C2.

Details finally emerged.

Craig was therefore charged for an attempted indecent assault for attempting to kiss C2 during a scene of the Rocky Horror Show in Melbourne in 2014.

In court, C2's husband was questioned about the attempted kiss.

You will note that C2's husband claimed this attempted assault occurred on the final show in Melbourne, i.e.

on July 13, 2014.

I didn't give evidence in the criminal matter, but what isn't known is that I was in the audience for this final performance, and I most certainly did not witness any such incident.

What a convenient night it would have been for Craig to attempt to indecently assault his colleague, when along with 1,000 audience members, whilst downstage under spotlights, surrounded by a full cast, while his partner, that would be me, was positioned in the best seat of the house.

Alongside me was the Rocky Horror Show choreographer, who did not see any such thing, nor did the producers or resident director of the show who also sat in on that performance, all who gave evidence to support this in court proceedings.

If a leading man were to fall over on stage or be pushed over on stage, it would appear in the show report, without question.

Yet there was never a show report relating to Craig falling over or being pushed over on stage by any actor, not on this date, not on any other date of the show's run.

Not a single cast or crew member could give evidence of such an occurrence taking place on stage.

Nor did a single cast member give evidence of seeing C2 in tears whilst on stage during her alleged description of the attempted assault on the final performance.

You will recall that after Craig's accusers gave evidence, the allotted time for the case had run out, leaving the matter to be adjourned for another five months.

Then, just weeks before the case was to reconvene, COVID-19 hit.

The Victorian legal system basically shut down overnight and the case was delayed for another six months.

In real terms, this meant that Craig would not get to give his evidence for another year, an entire year after his accusers had given theirs to a most sympathetic magistrate.