Sydney Symphony Orchestra musician Ben Jacks fighting rape charge

A world-renowned Sydney Symphony Orchestra performer is set to stand trial over the alleged rape of a woman.

Benjamin Lawrence Jacks, 46, appeared before the Sydney District Court on Friday to enter a plea of not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent while knowing a woman was not consenting.

The court heard Mr Jacks, the SSO’s principal horn, allegedly engaged in the non-consensual sex act with the woman in Sydney’s inner west on late last year.

He was charged by police in June last year and spent two days behind bars before being granted strict conditional bail in Newtown Local Court.

Mr Jacks joined the SSO in 1998 and was appointed principal horn in 2001.

He has performed as guest principal with orchestras across Australia and in Japan, the US and UK.

After Mr Jacks entered his plea of not guilty via audiovisual link, Judge Dina Yehia set December 5 down as the trial date.

The court heard the trial was expected to last five days.

The alleged victim in the case cannot be identified due to laws which prevent the naming of complainants in sex crime matters.

News of Mr Jacks’ arrest and the allegation levelled against has sent shockwaves through the SSO, which said previously that he was “not attending the workplace” after police charged him.

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