George Burgess found not guilty of groping woman

1 week ago 7

Former NRL subordinate George Burgess has been recovered not blameworthy of groping a pistillate during an 11-minute sojourn to her Sydney flat to present a signed shot nine jersey for charity.

The 32-year-old had admitted to being romantically funny successful the pistillate astatine the clip and making an advance, including telling her “be naughty with me” and “nothing’s ever happened betwixt us, but thing should”.

George Burgess extracurricular tribunal earlier this year.

However, Burgess pleaded not blameworthy to sexually touching different idiosyncratic without consent, denying helium had repeatedly squeezed the woman’s bottommost during the sojourn to her location connected March 8, 2022.

In Downing Centre Local Court connected Friday, magistrate Emma Manea recovered Burgess not blameworthy of the offence.

“I bash not judge each of his evidence, but I don’t cull it. I person trouble accepting his evidence, but I deliberation immoderate of it mightiness beryllium true,” she said.

“In accordance, I indispensable acquit. I person uncertainty and that indispensable travel to the accused, and he’s not guilty.”

Burgess appeared via video link, which the magistrate noted had been requested by the defence successful beforehand and approved with the consent of the prosecution, arsenic helium had nary bail requirements.

The complainant sat successful the nationalist assemblage with supporters.

Following the magistrate’s decision, she said, “What person you done for women?” and cried.

The tribunal antecedently heard the woman, who had known Burgess for immoderate time, contacted him and 2 of his brothers seeking signed shot nine jerseys for charity.

The complainant gave evidence that she was near feeling “violated” and “petrified” aft Burgess arrived astatine her location with a Dragons jersey and allegedly “leaned successful and tried to kiss” her, pressed himself up against her successful the kitchen, and “grabbed some my butt cheeks”.

The pistillate became visibly distressed and had to permission tribunal during grounds from her antheral friend, who said the complainant had reported Burgess “locking her successful betwixt the [kitchen] seat with some arms connected either broadside of her”.

In a constabulary walk-through video, played successful court, the pistillate told officers she had asked Burgess if helium wanted a cupful of beverage “to effort and defuse the situation” and besides chatted to him connected the lounge.

She gave grounds she had asked Burgess, “Are you inactive married?” and helium replied “yes” earlier adding “but you cognize however it is”. Burgess has since divided from his wife.

In his evidence, Burgess said helium joked helium would spot the pistillate “in different 10 years oregon adjacent clip you request a jersey” and went home. CCTV captured him astatine the flat artifact betwixt 10.24am and 10.35am.

The tribunal heard helium sent the pistillate a “horny devil emoji” connected Snapchat aft helium left, which helium said “was an acknowledgement of the information that I’d been a spot cheeky, been a spot flirty”.

Burgess said helium was shocked erstwhile the pistillate levelled the allegation against him and apologised, but it was not an admittance to grabbing her bottom.

The pistillate reported it to police. The magistrate said the archetypal idiosyncratic the complainant spoke to aft the incidental was a antheral with whom she had been successful an on-and-off relationship, but that antheral told constabulary helium had “memory loss” astir the speech and declined to supply a connection oregon immoderate messages.

Burgess relied connected his anterior bully character, arsenic helium had nary dishonesty oregon intersexual offences connected his record.

The incidental occurred days earlier Burgess’ short-lived NRL instrumentality with St George Illawarra.

Burgess made 149 appearances for South Sydney and besides played 15 Tests for England. He retired from rugby league astatine the extremity of 2022 and has precocious been moving astatine a spot concern firm.

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