NRL star George Burgess will plead not guilty after being charged with sexually touching a woman in Sydney.
The governing body themselves decided not to ban the St George Illawarra prop under the game’s no-fault stand-down policy after Burgess was charged with sexual touching without consent last month.
Police allege the woman claimed she had been sexually touched without consent by a man known to her on March 8 at a Sydney home.
Players charged with a crime that carries a sentence of 11 years or longer are automatically stood down by the NRL, but Burgess’ charge carries a maximum five-year sentence and so the no-fault stand-down policy did not come into being.
The NRL previously released this statement: “So as not to prejudice Burgess’ criminal proceedings case, the NRL will wait the outcome of that case before taking any action for possible breaches of NRL rules.
“The decision in no way forms a judgement on the allegations against Burgess which are serious and the NRL reserves the right to impose a No Fault Stand Down in the future.”
New South Wales Police stated in March: “Earlier this month officers attached to South Sydney Police Area Command commenced an investigation into reports a woman was sexually touched by a man known to her on Tuesday 8th March.
“Those inquiries are continuing.”
Burgess, 29, had only just made his return to the NRL at the Dragons after 18 months out of the game following devastating hip surgery.
He is he only rugby league player to ever make it back from such surgery and starred for the Dragons at the weekend in their narrow loss to champions Penrith Panthers.
