'Two friends I trusted' - Australian woman raped by male friends

Two Australian men have been convicted for the "selfish, shameful" rape of their friend.

The pair smiled and gave the thumbs up to their family members in court on Wednesday, after they were sentenced for the 2016 rape.

Luke Merryfull and Shaun Bloomfield, now both 24, were rejected by their female friend when they asked her for a threesome after a party in Balmoral, western Victoria.

The two men climbed into bed with the sleeping woman at 3am, and wedged her between them.

She kept telling them "no, no way" and tried to wrap herself in a blanket to protect herself.

The men then took turns raping their friend, who had now become their victim.

The victim, who cannot be named, was once described as "the life of the party".

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, she said she was now a shadow of her former self.

"The last three years of my life have been the worst I've had to go through," she said. "Two friends I trusted... this crime will always have an impact on my life."

The court heard she was once very active and loved sports but "she can't do those things without significant stress now".

The woman has since moved away from Victoria, and is scared of ever returning. She is unable to work or study, and can't go outside without being with someone she trusts.

The two men argued they had received consent by their friend for a threesome, but this idea was rejected by the jury.

Judge Gerard Mullaly said it was clear the woman did not want to engage in sexual intercourse with her friends.

"She made it clear she did not consent. She repeated 'no' to you."

The judge criticised the words Bloomfield used after he had raped his friend, saying the men saw her as "merely an object to violate at your will".

"First you put your hand on the victim's leg and then under her underwear. You raped her. Then got off and said words to the effect of 'she's all yours now'," he told the court.

Merryfull then took his turn to rape his 21-year-old friend, but stopped when his victim pushed him in the chest.

The judge told the court this action caused Merryfull to "wake up."

Bloomfield has been deemed a serious sex offender, and will be jailed for five years and eight months, and will serve a minimum of three years and four months.

Merryfull was jailed for four years and 10 months, and will serve a minimum of two years and 10 months.

Newshub.