A former manager at Melbourne nightclub Spice Market has weighed in on the night Ruby Rose alleges she was sexually assaulted by Katy Perry, saying both were heavily intoxicated but that he was not aware of any incident taking place.
In comments published by the Herald Sun, a manager who was at the venue on the night of the alleged incident confirmed the pair arrived together at the now-closed CBD hotspot in August 2010, describing the night as “a security nightmare” due to the singer’s high profile and the size of the crowd.
“They came in together, they were also with Katy’s hair and make-up girl and another guy who was friends with Ruby,” he said. “It was a security nightmare because there were 600 people there and Katy kept coming out and dancing with everybody and going right in the middle of the mosh pit.”
Rose alleged earlier this week via social media that Perry sexually assaulted her at the venue over a decade ago — a claim Perry, via a representative, has strongly denied, calling it “categorically false” and “dangerous, reckless lies.”
The owner said the pair spent much of the evening in a cordoned-off VIP section known as the Genie Bottle, but did not witness anything resembling the alleged incident.
“They were in the Genie Bottle and having drinks and stuff but were mainly in there doing their own thing,” he said. “I wasn’t aware of any alleged assault, or someone vomiting.”
He added that both women were intoxicated by the end of the night, though not incapacitated.
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“They were drunk, they weren’t paralytic or anything and just like any other person drinking at a nightclub.”
According to the manager, staff arranged for the pair to leave discreetly to avoid unwanted attention.
“Both had way too much to drink,” he said. “To avoid people taking photos of them in a state we organised a car and driver to be waiting outside the Collins St entrance of the hotel. We escorted them out the back and up the fire exit and put them in the car together.”
“I think from there they went on to The Peel Hotel.”
The account adds further context to an incident that has drawn widespread attention, after Rose claimed on Threads that Perry “sexual(ly) assaulted me at spice market nightclub in Melbourne,” later alleging a graphic encounter that she said resulted in her vomiting.
Rose also said she had previously downplayed the incident publicly, describing it at the time as a “funny little drunk story,” and claimed she stayed silent in part because Perry later assisted her with a US visa.
The night in question was widely documented in Australian media, with reports at the time placing both Rose and Perry at Spice Market in August 2010, where the pop star also made headlines for briefly crashing a Year 12 formal at the nearby Grand Hyatt.
A spokesperson for Victoria Police previously told Rolling Stone they do not confirm the identity of individuals who may or may not be under investigation.
Perry’s representative reiterated the denial this week, stating, “The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous, reckless lies.”
The claims remain unproven, and no formal findings have been made.
