NRL star Jack de Belin charged over teen’s sex assault allegations
NRL star Jack de Belin has been charged and given strict bail conditions in regards to an aggravated sexual assault over an incident on the weekend, making him the latest rugby league player to come under police investigation for off-field behaviour.
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St George Illawarra and NSW Origin enforcer Jack de Belin is the second NRL star in less than a month to be accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a late-night liaison.
The 27-year-old, who made his debut for the Blues this year and is expecting a child with his partner next year, was charged with aggravated sexual assault in company on Thursday night over an incident in Wollongong early Sunday morning.
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This year five NRL players have been charged with sexual or indecent assault — four of them in the off-season — creating a summer of shame for the NRL.
A 19-year-old woman claims she was sexually assaulted by de Belin and another man in a Wollongong unit after a night out.
Police will allege de Belin was at a Wollongong nightclub with a group of people with the teenager who made the complaint.
The woman told police after the group left a Crown St nightclub and she was unable to hail an Uber, that she, de Belin and the second man took a cab.
She said she thought they were going to another nightclub but they went to a unit at 1.30am.
The two men said they needed to get changed and she claims she went with them to use the toilet.
The woman claims that when she came out of the toilet she was assaulted.
After showering she told a friend what had happened and went to a local hospital for treatment.
De Belin has told St George he denies assaulting the woman. He has made the same denial to his 20-week pregnant girlfriend Alyce Taylor. De Belin was due at a NSW training camp today but after learning of the police investigation, he attended Wollongong police station at 3.40pm yesterday.
He was charged at 6pm and granted police bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court in February.
De Belin was named in a 32-man squad to take part in today’s training session under NSW coach Brad Fittler.
He made the club aware on Monday of a potential incident.
The second person in the room was not a player.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt de Belin’s Dragons teammate Jai Field could shape as a key witness, having spent time with the woman earlier in the evening. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Field and he is not under police investigation.
Hours after the alleged assault de Belin posed in a group photo with several teammates, including Field, at the North Wollongong Hotel. Dragon Tristan Sailor, the son of former Queensland great Wendell Sailor, posted the photo.
St George-Illawarra are not expected to stand-down de Belin before the outcome of the case is determined. He has told club officials he will vehemently fight the charges.
The Dragons said the club was taking the accusations very seriously.
“The club is taking the matter very seriously and have been working with Jack and all relevant authorities, including the police and the NRL integrity unit, since this time,” a Dragons statement read.
“Jack has been provided with welfare support to enable him the time and opportunity to deal with the matter.
The NRL confirmed that the Dragons reported an incident to the NRL Integrity Unit involving de Belin earlier this week.
De Belin featured in all three 2018 games for the Blues.
His long-term partner Taylor took to Instagram recently to announce she was pregnant with the couple’s first child. Her social media profile has since been deleted.
Last month former Parramatta Eel Jarryd Hayne was charged with aggravated sexual assault. He denied any wrongdoing when he fronted court for the first time on Monday.
On Tuesday Dylan Walker also denied in court he had assaulted his pregnant partner days earlier outside their Dee Why home. There are no sexual allegations against him.
Wests Tigers recruit Zane Musgrove and Penrith lower grade player Liam Coleman have also been charged over an assault of a 22-year-old woman at the Coogee Bay Hotel last month.
In 2017, star lock forward de Belin signed a three-year deal with the Dragons that would see him remain at the club until the end of the 2020 season. He has played 153 games for the club.
Thursday afternoon NRL boss Todd Greenberg told a meeting with all clubs’ hierarchy at NRL Central that said the league was sick of the off-field incidents.
“I said I would be negligent if I didn’t raise it having the two leaders of every single club in the room, the chairs and CEOs of the clubs,” Greenberg said. “So my message was clear — as leaders of your clubs, stand in front of your players and remind them of your obligations.
“In saying that, I’d remind you that there are 500 NRL players who, by and large, do a phenomenal amount of work in the community. The overwhelming majority always do the right thing.
“Some will make bad choices and when they make bad choices, there are big consequences that go with that.”
The NRL star was bailed subject to a list of stringent conditions, including reporting to Wollongong police station daily from Monday to Friday.
He was forced to hand over his passport to the investigating detective and ordered not to contact or approach the alleged victim, assault or threaten, or harass or intimate, or intentionally destroy or damage her property.
Court papers reveal De Belin was also ordered not go within 50 metres of where she lives or works or contact witnesses in the case.
De Belin reported at Wollongong a police station at 8am today.
He has not been staying at the couple’s house in Coniston.
His long term girlfriend Alyce has been staying at the house with a girlfriend.
Originally published as NRL star Jack de Belin charged over teen’s sex assault allegations
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