Judge’s stern words as Jack de Belin’s charges officially dropped

A judge has expressed her displeasure after news sex assault charges against NRL star Jack de Belin would be dropped was leaked to the press.

A District Court judge has fired up after news of NRL star Jack de Belin’s sexual assault charges being dropped was leaked to the media 24 hours before they were officially struck out in court.

Crown prosecutor Craig Everson officially withdrew five sexual assault charges against the Dragons forward and his mate Callan Sinclair in court on Friday.

“In the matter of both Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair, the director has determined there will be no further proceedings,” Mr Everson said.

The decision ends a two-and-a-half year saga for the NRL star and paves the way for him to return to the pitch for the first time in 987 days.

Mr de Belin wasn’t in present in court as a judge slammed the fact news there would not be a third trial was leaked to The Daily Telegraph.

Mr Everson told the court that 20 minutes after the Department of Public Prosecutions had informed Mr de Belin’s lawyers on Thursday, The Daily Telegraph had reported the charges were being withdrawn.

Judge Dina Yehia said it was a “discourtesy to the court” that the news had been given to the media.

“That is not something that was communicated to the press by the director or the crown,” Mr Everson said.

“The timetable, as I understand it, is that a communication was made to the lawyer for the accused then (journalist Phil) Rothfield seemed to be on the story within 20 minutes.”

Judge Yehia added: “I will make some inquiries but I can tell you I’m not pleased with the way it was leaked to the press.”

“The crown is in furious agreement,” Mr Everson said.

Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair faced two jury trials, both of which ended in hung juries and the DPP decided against pursuing a third.

Mr de Belin was accused of assaulting a 19-year-old woman alongside Mr Sinclair inside a North Wollongong unit in December 2018 after the trio met up on the dancefloor of the Mr Crown nightclub.

Mr De Belin, 30, and Mr Sinclair, 24, pleaded not guilty to five counts of aggravated sexual assault and denied allegations they had forced vaginal, oral and anal sex on the alleged victim inside the unit.

Jack de Belin will not face a third sexual assault trial after charges were dropped. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

“It’s been a very long road, no one had any idea how long the road would be,” Mr de Belin’s lawyer Robert Foster said outside court.

“The indictment has now been marked as spent and these proceedings are at an end.

“Jack de Belin is very relieved and looking forward to getting back to playing football.”

After deliberating for almost a week, a jury last month cleared Mr de Belin of one count of deliberately anally violating the woman.

Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair repeatedly maintained during their evidence at trial that they engaged in a consensual threesome with the woman after the trio met on the dancefloor Wollongong bar.

Mr de Belin was the first player stood down under the NRL’s no-fault rule, under which anyone charged with a crime that carries a sentence of 11 years or more is not allowed to take the field.

Mr de Belin played his last game on September 15, 2018, in the Dragons’ semi-final loss to South Sydney.

Callan Sinclair has also had sexual assault charges against him dropped. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

NRL chief executive officer Andrew Abdo said Mr de Belin would be able to play as soon as his charges were officially dropped.

He could make his comeback as early as Saturday through St George Illawarra’s reserve grade side against Western Suburbs at Lidcombe Oval.

The NSWRL have said they will provide extra security to the ground.

The NRL on Thursday issued an impassioned plea for fans not to vilify the St George Illawarra when he steps back onto the pitch, with Mr Abdo emphasising he had not been convicted of any crime.

“I’m not sure how fans will receive Jack,” Mr Abdo said on Thursday.

“If these charges are in fact dropped, and he has not been found guilty of any crime, and he’s free to play in the competition, we don’t expect any vilification or any abuse from our fans.”

Jack de Belin was allowed to train with his St George Illawarra teammates while he was stood down. Picture: Brett Costello

Mr Abdo defended the NRL’s stand-down rule, saying it had been implemented to protect the integrity of the game.

This is despite Mr de Belin being forced to spend nearly three years on the sidelines.

He has been allowed to train with his teammates while he was stood down but the case has taken a toll on his career.

When he was stood down in early 2019, he was at the height of his powers as a player, an incumbent NSW State of Origin representative and many good judges said he was on the verge of an Australian jersey.

The Dragons will now lodge with the NRL a renewed contract, worth a reported $800,000.

Mr Abdo said the no-fault rule protected the game’s commercial interests and said Mr de Belin’s case was proof that “our process is working”.

“It was found that this no-fault stand-down policy was fair and reasonable and is in the best interests of the game,” Mr Abdo said.

“As far as I know, there will be no review of this policy.”