De Belin, Sinclair trial: Alleged rape victim’s injury photos shown
Jack de Belin and Callan Sinclair’s sexual assault trial has heard from a doctor who inspected the 19-year-old woman’s injuries after the alleged attack.
Police & Courts
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A jury has been shown pictures of bruising on a woman’s neck, chest and body allegedly caused by rugby league player Jack de Belin, a District Court heard.
Doctor Ann Ellacott, who inspected the 19-year-old woman’s injuries after the alleged attack on December 9, 2018, was questioned on Friday as league player de Belin and co-accused Callan Sinclair stand trial for sexual assault.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to five counts each of aggravated sexual assault, maintaining the sex after a Wollongong pub crawl was consensual.
Dr Ellacott told the court she undertook a full-body examination of the woman’s body on the Sunday evening after the attack.
“On the front of her body she had mild redness and tenderness there,” Dr Ellacott told the court.
The woman told Dr Ellacott she was experiencing right-shoulder, back and chest pain from hands around her neck at different times during the oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Dr Ellacott said she would “not necessarily” have seen finger marks on the woman’s neck when she had examined her, despite the woman saying she had “felt like (she) was going to pass out”.
There was a graze on the woman’s right shoulder and a 1.6cm bruise on the right-side of her neck in a “diagonal line under the chin”.
Dr Ellacott did not see injuries to the woman’s genital area, but said this was the case in the majority of sexual assaults.
The court was shown 10 photos taken two days after the alleged attack by a forensic police officer, which show further bruising on the woman’s body.
These included a 4-5cm line of “faint bruising...brownish discolouration” and a “linear red mark” above her belly button.
Dr Ellacott told the court bruises were difficult to predict.
“The appearance and colour can change over time, some may present soon and some at later dates,” she said.
“Bruises depend on many facts. Whether people are young or old - you bruise more easily when you’re old...whether you put ice packs on it.”
In cross-examination, De Belin’s barrister David Campbell SC told Dr Ellacott she did not see any “post assault symptoms” on the woman’s neck, abdomen or genitals when she was examined.
“Correct,” Dr Ellacott replied.
Dr Ellacott agreed with Mr Campbell the redness on the woman’s chest she observed could have been caused by sunburn, friction or poor fitting clothes.
The trial continues.
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