A glamorous equestrian rider accused of trying to get a rape victim to suicide has walked into a Melbourne court smiling hand-in hand with the alleged rapist.

A glamorous equestrian rider accused of trying to get a rape victim to suicide has walked into a Melbourne court smiling hand-in hand with the alleged rapist. 
Alexandra McDonough, 29, of Dromana, is the long-time girlfriend of would-be Olympian rider Callum Buczak, 28, who has pleaded not guilty to raping the woman. 
Both have been charged by Melbourne detectives amid allegations they tried to intimidate and stalk Buczak’s alleged victim in the weeks before and following the alleged sex attack. 
Alexandra McDonough, 29, of Dromana, is the long-time girlfriend of would-be Olympian rider Callum Buczak, 28, and a champion rider in her own right
Alexandra McDonough, 29, of Dromana, walks hand-in-hand into a Melbourne court with her long-time boyfriend Callum Buczak, 28, who is an accused rapist
Alexandra McDonough and would-be Olympian rider Callum Buczak gaze into each other’s eyes in a photo posted on social media 
Although both were not present at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a short filing hearing on Friday, the pair were spotted happily walking into the court house about an hour later. 
Court documents released to The Age in October revealed police claim the rape happened on a property at Frankston on February 28, 2019 with Buczak charged after a five-month Victoria Police sex crimes investigation. 
On Friday, the court was told police allege between February 14 and March 2, McDonough stalked the victim by using several Instagram profiles to ‘surreptitiously trace (her) online activity’. 
Police further claimed Buczak’s girlfriend sent the information she had compiled back to him ‘with the intention of causing mental harm to the victim including self-harm, or of arousing apprehension or fear in the victim for her own safety or safety of another person’.
McDonough faces a swag of charges for allegations she perverted the course of justice and stalked the victim. 
Among the allegations is a claim she provided a magistrate with false information during an intervention order application taken out against her by the woman. 
Police also claim McDonough dishonestly reported that she had been assaulted by the victim and interfered with a civil proceeding against her boyfriend. 
In a post on her Facebook page in February, McDonough wined about not being able to attend riding events with her alleged rapist boyfriend. 
‘It is so, so unfair that I cant have my partner and my teammate at events with me. Especially driving alone, running two horses alone and in such a high risk sport,’ she wrote.
Detectives claim Buczak was behind his girlfriend’s alleged offending and had encouraged her to do his bidding. 
Court documents state McDonough sent Buczak screen shots of his alleged victim’s online activity and he encouraged her to send him information on the woman’s travel plans.
Alexandra McDonough is accused of helping her boyfriend Callum Buczak intimidate a woman who alleges he raped her 
Alexandra McDonough remains committed to Callum Buczak, who has been accused of raping a woman last year 
At one stage, he allegedly asked her to provide intelligence on his victim’s graduation schedule under the intention of causing her to self harm, police claimed. 
The alleged victim’s father is also alleged to have been harassed by the couple. 
Mr Buczak’s barrister Damian Sheales said the couple would strongly defend the charges. 
‘Some of these charges are frankly absurd,’ he told the court on Friday. 
Earlier this year, Buczak, from Pakenham Upper, was committed to stand trial in the County Court of Victoria after pleading not guilty to raping the woman.
Alexandra McDonough laughs with Callum Buczak as they approach the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday 
Alexandra McDonough and Callum Buczak are accused of trying to drive his alleged rape victim to self-harm 
Callum Buczak is a champion equestrian rider and an accused rapist 
Both remain free in the community on bail and have been ordered to return to the Melbourne Magistrates Court in July.
A 24-year-old Belgrave woman and a 24-year-old Clyde man have also both been charged with stalking and other offences allegedly committed between March and April 2019.
While the alleged rape did not happen at an official equestrian event, Buczak’s 2019 charge has reportedly prompted calls for him to be barred from the competitive sport until the matter has been resolved. 
Equestrian Australia later moved to suspend his membership, with his alleged victim withdrawing from competitions.
 Buczak took to social media to proclaim his innocence. 
‘The allegations made against me are strongly denied and shall be vehemently opposed,’ he posted at the time. 
The 28-year-old continues to run a popular equestrian eventing business. 
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