Waratahs star Kurtley Beale granted bail over pub sex assault charge

Star rugby fullback Kurtley Beale’s wife and family have rallied around him as he appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting a woman at a Bondi pub.

STAR rugby fullback Kurtley Beale was recorded making “admissions” about what happened on the night he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at a Bondi pub, telling a mate he “messed up”, a court has heard.

But the court also heard Beale was only admitting to infidelity and not to an offence. The 34-year-old new dad was arrested during a traffic stop on Friday night, after a 28-year-old woman came forward with claims he raped her at the Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel just one week before Christmas.

Beale was taken to Waverly Police Station and interviewed by detectives from Strike Force Titheradge, which was established after the woman went to police the day following the alleged assault on December 17.

He was charged with two counts of sexually touching another person without consent, inciting another person to sexually touch them without consent, and sexual intercourse without consent and spent the night in police cells before facing court yesterday.

His wife of two years Maddi Blomberg — who gave birth to their first child in October — supported her husband in court along with her parents and Beale’s two sisters.

Beale leaving Surry Hills police station after making bail. Picture: Julian Andrews

Beale was supported in court by his wife Madi. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The court heard Beale’s arrest came after a phone tap uncovered a conversation with the woman who accused him of assault following the alleged incident.

“That conversation alludes to admissions about the nature of offending,” police prosecutor sergeant Scott Thomson told the court.

Sgt Thomson also told the court Beale sent a message to another friend regarding the allegations, saying: “yeah I messed up, I was out at the pub before Chrissy”.

However, Beale’s barrister Stephen Stanton told the court he was referencing the fact he had cheated on his wife, not the allegations of assault.

“The intercepted calls are indicative of an admission of infidelity — no more, no less,” he said.

Beale during the 2019 Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies in Auckland, New Zealand. Picture: AAP

The Beach Road Hotel in Bondi.

According to court documents, the alleged incident occurred at the pub sometime between 11pm on December 17 and 12.20am on December 18. Mr Stanton told the court Beale would be pleading not guilty to the charges and denied any sexual assault.

The magistrate agreed to grant Beale bail, despite Sgt Thomson arguing otherwise, ordering he report to police twice weekly, surrender his passport and stay away from drugs and alcohol.

Kurtley Beale with his wife Maddi.

Beale with son Kurtley James Windon Beale.

As a condition of his bail, he will live with Ms Blomberg and her ­parents in the eastern suburbs.

Outside court, Beale’s barrister Paul McGirr told the media his client was holding up “fine” after his night in custody.

“He strenuously denies the allegations,” Mr McGirr said.

Late on Friday, Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs issued a joint statement announcing that Beale had been suspended from all forms of rugby with immediate effect pending the conclusion of legal proceedings.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]