Edgar Michael Lawrence Cowell had unprotected sex with underage girl

A rugby league player had sex with the an underage girl three times at his residence. Now he has been punished.

Rugby League Group 2 Sawtell vs Macksville pic Rob Wright

A rugby league player has been jailed for having unprotected sex with an underage girl three times.

Edgar Michael Lawrence Cowell, 32, pleaded guilty on September 3 in Rockhampton District Court to two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge.

The court heard Cowell, who graduated from year 12 at Macksville High School and played for Nambucca Roosters, had separated from his long partner and left his seven children in her care when he returned to Central Queensland in 2018.

Edgar Michael Lawrence Cowell, 32, pleaded guilty on September 3 in Rockhampton District Court to two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said Cowell meet the teenage victim at parties at Woorabinda and they messaged on a social media site that required users to be 18 years old.

“She told the defendant she was 17,” Ms Willey said.

The pair had sex at Cowell’s residence three times in two days and the crime was uncovered when police were talking to the teenager about other matters in November 2018.

There was a 14-year age difference when Cowell had sex with the teen who was 15 at the time of the offences which took place in 2018.

Edgar Michael Lawrence Cowell, 32, pleaded guilty on September 3 in Rockhampton District Court to two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge.

Ms Willey said the police never approached her client and he only became aware there was an arrest warrant, issued in May 2020, was active in June 2020 at a Covid check point and he presented himself to police the next day.

She said Cowell had been raised by his grandfather, who died in 2011, in Central Queensland before Cowell relocated to live with his grandmother on the New South Wales north coast.

Ms Willey said Cowell played rugby league and worked as a bricklayer.

She said after his relationship broke down, he returned to Woorabinda and started drinking and smoking marijuana.

Ms Willey said he had never used marijuana before and after a few occasions of using it and having panic attacks while intoxicated, he stopped using the illicit substance.

She said Cowell had not been drinking as much lately, had been working at a cafe on a casual basis and still played football.

Ms Willey said he planned to relocate to Rockhampton in the future to look for full-time work.

“He is embarrassed and remorseful about what occurred,” she said.

Judge Jeff Clarke said Cowell had unprotected sex with the teen.

“My first inclination was to send you to jail today with a shorter period of time than the usual one third,” he said.

However, Judge Clarke sentenced Cowell to 18 months prison, wholly suspended and operational for 18 months.

He is now a reportable sex offender.

Originally published as Edgar Michael Lawrence Cowell had unprotected sex with underage girl