The article details a sexual assault that occurred in April 2016 at a 21st birthday party in Balmoral, a small town in Victoria's west. The victim, identified as Elise*, reported being sexually assaulted by Shaun Bloomfield and Luke Merryfull, two former classmates from established local families, in a caravan after the party had mostly concluded.
Initial Events and Investigation
Elise stated that she was left alone in the caravan with Bloomfield and Merryfull, at which point the mood shifted. She reported attempts to push them away and stating "no" and "no way" to their advances. Luke Merryfull then reportedly raped her, followed by Shaun Bloomfield.
After the assault, Elise contacted friends for help. Rosie Hutchins, a nursing student, and her mother Lisa Hutchins, who managed the local bush nursing centre, collected Elise. Police were called, and the caravan was secured as a crime scene. Detective Alison Manniche-Brown led the investigation. Merryfull and Bloomfield presented to police but declined to give statements.
Community Response and Division
As the investigation progressed, community discussion and division emerged in Balmoral, a town where football held significant cultural importance and many families were interconnected. Elise's family reported feeling increasingly isolated, with some community members reportedly shunning them. Peter Merryfull, Luke's father, confronted Elise's brother James in the local pub, creating further tension.
Lisa Hutchins, initially a key witness for the prosecution, had provided a statement noting Elise's distress and account of being raped by Merryfull and Bloomfield. However, she reportedly expressed personal doubt about Luke Merryfull's guilt to local police officer Geoff Barcham, though she did not amend her initial statement.
Later, Lisa Hutchins posted a photo on Facebook including Luke Merryfull and some of her children, captioned "Four out of five of my favourites," which Elise's family perceived as a public declaration of support for Merryfull.
First Trial and Appeal
Eight months after the incident, Luke Merryfull and Shaun Bloomfield were charged with rape. Shaun Bloomfield was also charged with a second count of rape and sexual assault. The trial commenced in January 2019 at the Geelong County Court, where the defense argued the sex was consensual. Both men testified, asserting Elise consented.
The jury found both men guilty on all counts. Luke Merryfull was sentenced to four years and ten months in prison with a non-parole period of two years and ten months, and Shaun Bloomfield received five years and eight months with a minimum of three years and four months.
Within 24 hours of their imprisonment, Lisa Hutchins submitted a new statement. In this statement, she recalled a conversation with Elise where Elise allegedly said, "Luke maybe, but not Shaun" regarding consent, a detail not mentioned in her previous statement or court testimony.
This new information became the basis for a successful appeal to the Victorian Supreme Court, leading to the men's release in September 2020 after serving half their minimum sentences, and a retrial was ordered.
Retrial and Second Sentencing
The retrial began in August 2022, more than six years after the incident. Lisa Hutchins testified for the defense, reiterating her new recollection and stating Elise had been "amorous, open, flirtatious" at the party, a claim the judge dismissed as irrelevant. The prosecution challenged Lisa's credibility, asserting her new account was a fabrication to aid Luke Merryfull. The jury, for a second time, found both men guilty.
In April 2023, for their second sentencing, the court received dozens of character references for the men, some of which referred to the rape as an "allegation." Elise delivered a victim impact statement, detailing a severe depressive disorder following the assault and community ostracism.
Due to the delay and the character references, the judge handed down a community corrections order, meaning the men would not return to prison. They had served approximately 19 months of their original sentences.
Aftermath and Ongoing Impact
In 2025, Luke Merryfull returned to celebrate a grand final win with his former football club, the Harrow Balmoral Southern Roos. The club declined to comment on the matter. Some club members expressed unease, with treasurer Simon Hodgson stating:
"It just beggars belief how many people have taken the side of the rapists," and criticizing the lack of accountability.
Elise, nearly 10 years after the event, reported a new stage in her life, traveling with her dogs, and feeling able to separate herself from the past. She conveyed a message to her hometown: to consider actions and choices to stand up for victims.