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AAP
AAP
National
Cassandra Morgan

'Fake Uber driver' reveals dire finances

A man accused of rape and sexual assault allegedly pretended to be an Uber driver for his victims. (Joe Castro/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

An alleged rapist accused of luring women into his car by pretending he was their Uber driver should be granted bail for the sake of his family's dire financial circumstances, a court has been told.

Prosecutors allege Francesco De Luise, 59 from Airport West, stuck by a "modus operandi" to target women, driving around licensed premises late at night or in the early hours of the morning.

Each of his three alleged victims had been drinking alcohol for hours when he gave them a lift between January last year and September this year, the Victorian Supreme Court was told on Monday.

One of the alleged victims took a photograph of De Luise's hand on her leg, which she sent to her boyfriend "indicating that she was uncomfortable and this person was trying to feel her up", Senior Constable Catherine Poole told the court.

Audio and video handed over by a different victim allegedly shows De Luise asking if he can masturbate in his car.

The alleged victim said "no" repeatedly, and asked to be taken to her boyfriend, Sen Const Poole said.

"She is crying for help to her boyfriend."

De Luise faces one charge of rape, 10 counts of sexual assault, two counts of directing sexual activity at another person and a firearms offence.

He denies assaulting any of the women.

The 59-year-old could offer up a surety of $1.4 million if he were granted bail, as well as stick to a curfew, defence barrister Dermot Dann KC said.

He would also only drive a truck for work purposes.

"He's not going to look much like an Uber driver from a 10-tonne truck," Justice John Champion noted.

De Luise's company took out a loan of more than $2 million for five townhouses, and his family was reliant on him helping to make the loan payments as well as pay rent, Mr Dann said.

While his family had rallied together to stave off the bank, "the whole thing is about to collapse".

De Luise's dire family circumstances, along with his lack of prior convictions, conditions in custody and the potential for delay before he reached a trial amounted to "compelling" circumstances, Mr Brown argued.

Justice Champion will hand down his decision on whether to grant De Luise bail later this week.

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