Footy legend Stephen Silvagni supports his visibly distressed wife Jo as they arrive for their 23-year-old son’s court hearing after he was convicted of rape

The footy legend father of convicted rapist Tom Silvagni has put a supportive arm around his TV personality wife as they arrived at his court hearing on Friday morning.

Stephen and Jo Silvagni’s 23-year-old son is facing court for a pre-sentence hearing after a suppression over his identity was lifted on Thursday afternoon.

Silvagni was found guilty of two counts of rape on December 5 following a two-week trial in the Victorian County Court.

There had been a suppression over his identity ever since he was first charged with rape in June 2024, with his lawyers arguing publication could lead to the deterioration of his mental health.

But Judge Andrew Palmer lifted the order on Thursday, ruling it was no longer necessary given the trial had been run and Silvagni would be under close watch in custody.

There had also been extensive discussion online identifying Silvagni as the convicted rapist, the judge said.

‘At some point he will have to reconcile himself to the reality that he has committed these offences and there is media interest,’ Judge Palmer said on Thursday.

Silvagni had repeatedly denied he digitally raped his friend’s girlfriend at his Melbourne home in the early hours of January 14, 2024.

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 Stephen Silvagni and his wife Jo Silvagni are seen arriving to court on Friday morning

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Jo, a former model and TV personality, appeared anxious as she made her way into court

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Tom Silvagni is seen arriving to court followed by his parents, Jo and Stephen

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Tom Silvagni was found guilty of two counts of rape

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Stephen and Jo Silvagni (nee Bailey). The couple are famous in Melbourne thanks to Stephen’s long AFL career with Carlton, and Jo’s TV roles on Sale of the Century and Chemist Warehouse

The jury was told the woman had consensual sex with her boyfriend at the house but then he organised an Uber and left the property shortly before 2am.

Silvagni then lied, telling the woman her boyfriend would be returning upstairs because his Uber had been cancelled.

But it was Silvagni who went into the dark bedroom a short time later and pretended to be the woman’s boyfriend before digitally raping her twice.

In the days after, he doctored an Uber receipt to make it look like the victim’s boyfriend had left the house after 2.30am.

Silvagni admitted forging the receipt but said he did so because he panicked after being falsely accused of rape.

But the jury rejected his story, finding him guilty of two counts of rape.

The maximum jail term for rape is 25 years.