Shock allegations emerge as Jack de Belin pleads not guilty to alleged rape
New troubling allegations levelled against St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin include that he and a mate attacked a 19-year-old woman after a night out, at one point urging his friend to “come have a go”.
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NSW Origin star Jack de Belin is alleged to have repeatedly raped a teenager, grabbing her around the throat and leaving her with injuries that police say were visible.
The troubling allegations levelled against St George Illawarra forward de Belin include that he and a mate attacked the 19-year-old after a night out in Wollongong, at one point urging his friend to “come have a go”.
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De Belin was yesterday able to change his bail conditions thanks to his status as a professional rugby league player. He has spent the past two month reporting to police every Monday and Friday but his lawyer asked the court to change that as his client needed to travel interstate for Dragons matches.
“Lawyers made application to vary his bail conditions to enable de Belin to fulfil his training and playing commitments, which was approved,” St George Illawarra said in a statement.
The case is yet another blow to the already tarnished image of the NRL following a summer of shame for rugby league.
At Wollongong Local Court yesterday, de Belin pleaded not guilty to raping a woman in company at a unit in the city last month. His friend Callan Sinclair is also alleged to have raped her and the 21-year-old has indicated he will be pleading not guilty to the same charge.
Police say de Belin and Sinclair first met the alleged victim on the night of Saturday, December 8 at the Mr Fever Nightclub, where they talked and danced. Later the trio are alleged to have headed to Fever Nightclub together.
The men are alleged to have told her they needed to charge their phones before heading out again and the three of them went to the Gipps St apartment of de Belin’s cousin, who was not home at the time.
Once there, the woman says she used the bathroom and the now naked league star — whose partner is pregnant with their first child — allegedly to barged in to take a shower.
Police say the teenager then left the ensuite and de Belin, but when the still nude lock came out he forcibly undressed her. Then de Belin, who is 188cm tall and weighs 106kg, allegedly pinned the size 6, 51kg woman down. Police allege he sexually assaulted the woman, with his hand around her throat.
According to investigators, de Belin then urged his mate to “have a go” before Sinclair allegedly assaulted the woman.
The woman is alleged sustained injuries to her neck, shoulder, stomach and legs.
The woman claims she later showered herself and booked them all an Uber back to Fever.
But she didn’t stay at the club long and went to Wollongong Hospital where doctors performed a rape test. She was seen to have injuries to her legs, neck, lower abdomen and shoulders.
Police raided the apartment, seizing clothes, sheets and towels and de Belin turned himself in to Wollongong police station on December 13.
After appearing in court yesterday for the first time to face the sex assault charges, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars, de Belin was cleared by the Dragons to “fulfil his training and playing commitments”.
The NRL and Dragons said de Belin would receive the presumption of innocence and that there would be “no change to his eligibility” for St George Illawarra.
“The matter is before the courts and the player has pleaded not guilty,” an NRL spokesperson said.
The status quo approach from league bosses comes amid a disastrous off-season for the game.
Details of the allegations have chief executive Todd Greenberg declared Ben Barba no longer had a place in the game after viewing CCTV footage of the Cowboys full-back’s alleged physical altercation with his partner Ainslie Currie in Townsville.
And out-of-contract former Parramatta Eels superstar Jarryd Hayne’s alleged rape case is due back in court today.
Police prosecutor Sean Thackray yesterday opposed de Belin’s bail variation application due to the “nature and seriousness” of the allegations with Magistrate Roger Clisdell noting there appeared to be “a reasonably strong case” against the athlete.
But the magistrate agreed to delete de Belin’s twice weekly police reporting conditions because he was “a high-profile sportsperson” with professional obligations to his NRL club and was therefore unlikely to flee the country.
Defence barrister David Robert Campbell SC told the court de Belin had a heavily pregnant wife, owned property in the area and had surrendered his passport.
Neither de Belin not Sinclair commented as they left court.
“The proceedings have to take their course in the usual way and there’s really nothing more he can say,” Mr Campbell said outside court.
“Obviously, it was an essential (bail) variation because he wouldn’t be able to continue playing football with the team, pursuant to his contract, if we didn’t get it.”
De Belin played all three games on the 2018 State of Origin series.
“The club will make no further comment as this matter remains before the courts,” the Dragons said in a statement.
Originally published as Shock allegations emerge as Jack de Belin pleads not guilty to alleged rape
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