Australian racer Joey Mawson has been identified as the accused person in a rape case involving one of Michael Schumacher’s nurses at the Formula 1 legend’s residence in Gland, Switzerland. The 29-year-old Mawson allegedly assaulted the unconscious woman on two separate occasions after a party at Schumacher’s mansion.
Mawson refutes the accusation, asserting that his relationship with the nurse was consensual and intimate. He claims they had previously shared a kiss at a nightclub in Geneva.
Originally from Sydney, Australia, Mawson was once seen as a promising Formula 1 driver before opting to return to racing in his home country due to a decline in performance. He had a close friendship with Mick Schumacher and competed against notable figures in the sport like Lando Norris of McLaren and George Russell of Mercedes.
A trial was set for the current week, with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the District of La Cote preparing a detailed indictment for the case. However, Mawson, a two-time champion of the Australian S5000 series and now banned from racing due to a doping scandal, did not appear in court on the scheduled day.
Despite his absence, the trial commenced but was promptly adjourned to a future date, as reported by The Sun. Notably, none of the Schumacher family members are implicated in the incident.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s indictment, Mawson is accused of raping the nurse while she was unconscious after a night of vodka cocktails. The nurse, who provided live-in care for Schumacher following his skiing accident in 2013, reportedly filed a criminal complaint over two years later in January 2022.
Court documents suggest that the alleged assault took place on November 23, 2019, while Mawson was socializing with other staff members at Schumacher’s residence. After the nurse retired to bed, Mawson allegedly returned and committed the assault.