Latest news with #CallanSinclair
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Footy player confronts the cop who LIED during sexual assault case that almost ended his career
Jack De Belin has attended court on Tuesday as the police officer who perjured himself during the NRL star's sexual assault trial argued he should be spared from spending time in jail. Legal counsel for the police officer, who can only be referred to as Officer A due to a suppression order, argued in the Wollongong District Court that their client should be spared jail. Mr De Belin and Callan Sinclair - who was his co-accused during the sexual assault trial - were also in attendance for the hearing, with the officer now set to return to court for sentencing on September 12. Officer A had pleaded guilty to one count of perjury after he gave false evidence under oath during a pre-trial hearing in relation to the proceedings against the St George Illawarra player and his friend Sinclair. The charge relates to his handling of legally privileged text messages that were found on De Belin's mobile phone, which was seized as part of police investigations in 2019. De Belin and Sinclair were accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in December 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions later dropped the charges against both men. De Belin and Sinclair have maintained their innocence throughout, stating any sexual contact was consensual. Police had accessed 203 text messages on De Belin's phone as part of their investigations, with prosecutor Ciro Triscari telling the court on Tuesday that 190 of those messages contained 'privileged communications between Mr De Belin and his lawyer', Craig Osborne. Osborne, who is also a director at St George Illawarra Dragons, was labelled in De Belin's phone as 'Craig Lawyer' and had been representing him during the proceedings. During a pre-trial hearing in February 2020, counsel for De Belin and Sinclair argued that accessing this information on the seized mobile phone breached their clients' right to a fair trial. They subsequently issued a stay application for proceedings, which was rejected. The pair first appeared in the NSW District Court in 2020, but the trial ended without a verdict. A second trial took place in 2021, but the jury again failed to reach a verdict, with the charges against them eventually dropped. Officer A had been the subject of an internal three-year investigation by the NSW Police Professional Standards Command and was later charged with perjury relating to the evidence he gave at the pre-trial hearing. He had told the court that the correspondence on De Belin's phone with 'Craig Lawyer' related only to 'Dragons business'. But the police officer also admitted to knowing Mr Osborne was working for RMB Lawyers - the firm which was representing De Belin during the proceedings. Officer A has since pleaded guilty to perjuring himself by falsely claiming that the information in the messages pertained only to 'Dragons business'. Prosecutor Triscari told the court on Tuesday that Officer A had 'deliberately misled the court' when making that statement. The prosecutor said: 'This represents a serious example of perjury when one considers the position occupied by the offender in question. 'The proceedings are serious criminal proceedings where the liberty of individuals was at stake.' Officer A's barrister Peggy Dwyer SC told the court that her client had been suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive illnesses after being subjected to 'gruesome and disturbing incidents' during his employment as a police officer. 'There can be no doubt he was suffering from PTSD in February and that it impacted his capacity to give evidence,' Dwyer told the court. She argued that the perjury was 'an innocent mistake' that had been 'made in a moment of panic' and said Officer A was a 'man of great character'. Dwyer argued that the actions of Officer A had not impacted the eventual trial of De Belin or Sinclair. 'This was not a case where anything [Officer A] did or didn't do changed whether or not they were charged,' Dwyer said. Counsel for Officer A then urged the court not to impose a jail term on their client. Instead, Dwyer told the court that any custodial sentence that potentially might be handed down should be served in the community as part of an Intensive Corrective Order. Dwyer told the court that any jail term could be 'catastrophic' for Officer A's well-being. The police officer had been stood down from his role in August 2023 on medical grounds. Meanwhile, De Belin was sidelined from playing for the Dragons for three years under the NRL's no-fault stand-down rule while the legal proceedings took place.
ABC News
5 days ago
- ABC News
Jack de Belin attends court appearance of police officer who perjured himself during case
A former NSW Police officer who perjured himself in relation to a sexual assault case involving NRL player Jack de Belin and his co-accused Callan Sinclair was suffering from deteriorating mental illness when he gave false evidence, a court has heard. The officer, who can only be identified as "Officer A" due to a court suppression order, was in court with supporters today alongside Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair, both of whom were joined by their families. The officer was a detective in the investigation into Mr De Belin and Mr Sinclair when the pair were charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old women in Wollongong in 2018. According to an agreed statement of facts, Officer A gave false evidence during an application to stay proceedings in February 2020. The application to halt proceedings was ultimately dismissed and the case went to two separate trials, both ending in hung juries. The case was then abandoned by prosecutors. Officer A was questioned about accessing and sharing privileged text messages between Mr de Belin and his lawyer Craig Osborne, during a review of the football star's phone in 2019. In a sworn affidavit, Officer A stated that he believed the messages from "Craig Lawyer" on the phone related to St George Illawarra Dragons business and not to Mr de Belin's legal defence. He later admitted under cross examination he knew Mr Osborne was Mr de Belin's solicitor in the sexual assault case but maintained they only appeared to detail "dragons business". Officer A has since pleaded guilty to perjuring himself by falsely affirming that the review of text messages "contained information about dragons football club business alone". In Wollongong District Court today he faced a sentencing hearing. Judge Christine Mendes will deliver a final sentence on September 12. Officer A served with NSW Police from May 2002 until his medical retirement in August 2023. In court today the Crown prosecutor Ciro Triscari said Officer A deliberately mislead the court when he claimed the text messages were about "dragons business" in a sworn affidavit. The prosecutor told the court around 190 messages accessed on the phone contained "privileged communications between Mr de Belin and his lawyer". "This represents a serious example of perjury when one considers the position occupied by the offender in question," Mr Triscari said. Officer A's defence lawyer Dr Peggy Dwyer said the long-serving officer and defence services veteran had been experiencing deteriorating mental health for months prior to his perjury. Dr Dwyer provided eight psychologist and psychiatrist reports detailing complex PTSD and depressive illnesses suffered by Officer A after he was exposed to "gruesome and disturbing incidents" in his role as a detective. "There can be no doubt he was suffering from PTSD in February and that it impacted his capacity to give evidence," she said. Dr Dwyer argued the perjury was "an innocent mistake" made "in a moment of panic" which did not impact the eventual trial of Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair. "This was not a case where anything [Officer A] did or didn't do changed whether or not they were charged," she said. The Crown argued the threshold for a custodial sentence had been breached in their final submissions to Judge Mendes. The defence called for any custodial sentence potentially required be served in the community under an Intensive Corrective Order, referring to one psychiatrist's report which found a jail term could be 'catastrophic' for the former police officer. The case will return to Wollongong Court for sentencing in September, after which spokespeople for Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair are expected to make statements. Mr De Belin spent three years out of the NRL during the criminal proceedings and will finish with St George Illawarra at the end of 2025 after the club declined to extend his contract.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
Dragons star Jack de Belin appears in court to confront lying cop
NRL star Jack de Belin has appeared in a Wollongong court to confront the ex-cop who lied during his sexual assault proceedings. The man, who can only be known as Officer A due to a non-publication order made by the court, on Tuesday appeared before the Wollongong District Court as he prepares to learn his fate for lying to the court under oath. The ex-cop is facing sentencing proceedings having pleaded guilty to one count of giving false evidence under oath amounting to perjury relating to his cross-examination during a pre-trial hearing in the matter of the St George Illawarra forward and his friend Callan Sinclair. Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair arrived at court on Tuesday surrounded by a large throng of family and friends as the court heard submissions on Officer A's sentence, which will be handed down at a later date Officer A was charged following a police internal investigation after he was found to have lied during a pre-trial hearing in February 2020 while answering questions about material that he had viewed on Mr de Belin's phone that was covered by legal professional privilege. Crown prosecutor Ciro Triscari told the court on Tuesday that Officer A's offending was a 'serious example of perjury' that was made during 'obviously serious criminal proceedings where the liberty of individuals was at stake'. Officer A viewed texts between Mr de Belin and his solicitor but later lied under oath when he told a judge he believed they related to 'Dragons business'. Mr De Belin and Mr Sinclair faced two trials in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman inside a North Wollongong unit in December 2018. After a second trial, they were both found not guilty of one count of sexual assault. The Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently dropped the remaining charges after two trials ended in hung juries. The pair have persistently proclaimed their innocence and maintained that any sexual contact was consensual. Officer A sat in the front row of the public gallery of Wollongong District Court on Tuesday while Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair sat on the other side of the room surrounded by a large group of supporters. Officer A was charged after a three-year investigation by the NSW Police Professional Standards Command. He was charged relating to his evidence in the District Court during a pre-trial hearing when Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair's lawyers were applying for a stay of proceedings, which would have resulted in them never facing trial. That application was ultimately dismissed by Judge Andrew Haesler. During the hearing, Officer A was questioned about material he had viewed on Mr de Belin's yellow Nokia phone that was seized by police in December 2019 when they raided the NRL star's home. According to a statement of agreed facts, Officer A viewed SMS messages between Mr de Belin and a contact listed as 'Craig Lawyer'. 'Craig Lawyer' was Craig Osborne, a Dragons director who was also Mr de Belin's lawyer, and the messages were protected by legal professional privilege. In the messages, Mr Osborne gave Mr de Belin an update on his legal team's preparations for the then upcoming trial, including the issuing of subpoenas, the taking of witness statements and experts who might be called to give evidence. The court was told that 190 of the 203 messages between Mr de Belin and Mr Osborne viewed by Officer A were covered by legal professional privilege. After discovering that police had accessed the material, lawyers for Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair applied for a permanent stay of proceedings, arguing it robbed them of their right to a fair trial. Officer A told the court under oath that he believed Mr de Belin's communications with 'Craig Lawyer' only related to 'Dragons business'. This is despite admitting knowing that Mr Osborne was employed by RMB Lawyers, who were representing Mr de Belin during his criminal proceedings. During the pre-trial hearing, he was asked: 'So what you're telling us, if I understand your evidence, is notwithstanding that you knew that Craig Osborne was Mr Jack de Belin's solicitor in this matter … and notwithstanding that you knew that 'Craig Lawyer' was in fact Craig Osborne … and that these communications between Mr De Belin and 'Craig Lawyer' were only communications that, to use your words, appeared to be detailing 'Dragons business'? Officer A replied at the time: 'Yes.' The court was told that he later admitted to lying. Officer A was medically retired from the force in August 2023. He will be sentenced later this year.
The Australian
6 days ago
- The Australian
Jack de Belin to face ex-cop who committed perjury in assault case
Jack de Belin will next week come face-to-face in court with the former cop who lied during his sexual assault proceedings. The ex-cop will face sentencing proceedings in the Wollongong District Court on Tuesday having pleaded guilty to one count of giving false evidence under oath amounting to perjury. The charges relate to answers the officer gave to the same court in February 2020 when he gave evidence about viewing material on Mr de Belin's phone, including texts between the St George Illawarra forward and his lawyer. Officer A viewed texts between Mr de Belin and his solicitor Craig Osborne but later lied under oath when he told a judge that he believed they were 'Dragons business'. Mr de Belin and Callan Sinclair faced two trials in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman inside a North Wollongong unit in December 2018 before the charges were ultimately dropped. The pair will be in court on Tuesday as the ex-cop – who can only be known as Officer A due to a non-publication order made by the court – faces a sentence hearing. Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair will be in court along with a large contingent of family who remain angry over the police handling of the case and have called for an inquiry into what they consider many unanswered questions. They are also disappointed that Officer A was granted a non-publication order over his name and identity. It's understood that Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair want to view proceedings given they are deeply invested in the outcome. Mr de Belin spent three years out of the NRL after he was sidelined under the game's 'no fault' stand-down rule. He challenged the rule in the Federal Court, but Justice Melissa Perry ruled in favour of the Australian Rugby League Commission. The Director of Public Prosecutions in 2021 dropped the criminal charges against Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair after two juries failed to come to a verdict. The pair have persistently proclaimed their innocence and had maintained that any sexual contact was consensual. Officer A was charged after a three-year investigation by the NSW Police Professional Standards Command into his testimony in the District Court. He was charged relating to his evidence during a pre-trial hearing when Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair's lawyers applied for a stay of proceedings, which would have resulted in them never facing trial. That application was ultimately dismissed. During the hearing, Officer A was questioned about material he had viewed on Mr de Belin's Nokia phone that was seized by police in December 2019 when they raided his home. According to a statement of agreed facts, Officer A viewed SMS messages between Mr de Belin and a contact listed as 'Craig Lawyer'. 'Craig Lawyer' was Craig Osborne, a Dragons director who was also on Mr de Belin's legal team, and many of the messages were protected by legal professional privilege. In the messages, Mr Osborne gave Mr de Belin an update on preparations for the then upcoming trial, including the issuing of subpoenas, the taking of witness statements and experts who might be called to give evidence. Police used the Cellebrite program to take screenshots of information on Mr de Belin's phone, including 203 messages with 'Craig Lawyer'. After discovering that police had accessed the material, lawyers for Mr de Belin and Mr Sinclair applied for a permanent stay of proceedings, arguing it robbed them of their right to a fair trial. Officer A told the court under oath that he believed Mr de Belin's communications with 'Craig Lawyer' were 'Dragons business'. This is despite admitting knowing that Mr Osborne was employed by RMB Lawyers, who were representing Mr de Belin. Officer A was medically retired from the police force in August 2023. He will appear in the Wollongong District Court on Tuesday morning. Steve Zemek Court reporter Steve Zemek began his career in his native Queensland before moving to Sydney with Australian Associated Press in 2014. He worked as an NRL journalist for five seasons, covering the game all over Australia and in New Zealand before making a career pivot towards court reporting in 2019. He joined NCA NewsWire in mid 2020 as a Sydney-based court reporter where he has covered some of the state's biggest cases. Breaking News A grandfather claimed a $2m heroin discovery was part of a cryptocurrency scam even though he sent a series of texts to his wife about the cargo. National Breaking News CCTV footage of Erin Patterson ditching her dehydrator at a local tip following the fatal lunch with her in-laws has been released by Victoria's Supreme Court.
Daily Mail
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Dragons forward Jack de Belin to face ex‑cop who lied in sexual assault case that was ultimately dropped
Jack de Belin will next week face a former police officer in court who admitted lying during his sexual assault proceedings. The officer, known only as Officer A, will be sentenced for giving false evidence under oath in 2020. The false testimony related to his handling of legally privileged text messages found on de Belin's seized phone. The officer, under a court suppression order, pleaded guilty to perjury. The charge relates to false evidence given in February 2020 in the NSW District Court. He told the court he believed text messages between de Belin and his lawyer were 'Dragons business'. The messages were in fact with solicitor Craig Osborne, a Dragons director and part of de Belin's legal team. Police seized de Belin's phone in December 2019 and examined it using Cellebrite software. They accessed 203 messages between de Belin and 'Craig Lawyer', many covered by legal privilege. Lawyers for de Belin and co‑accused Callan Sinclair argued this breached their right to a fair trial. The issue emerged during a pre‑trial stay application, which was rejected. De Belin and Sinclair were accused of sexually assaulting a 19‑year‑old woman in December 2018. They denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty. The first trial in 2020 ended without a verdict. A retrial in 2021 also failed to reach a verdict. The Director of Public Prosecutions later dropped all charges. Both men maintained the encounter was consensual. The NSW Police Professional Standards Command investigated Officer A's conduct for three years. He was later medically retired from the force. He will be sentenced in Wollongong District Court on Tuesday. De Belin, Sinclair and their families are expected to attend. They have called for an inquiry into police handling of the case. De Belin was sidelined from the NRL for three years under the 'no fault' stand‑down rule. He challenged the policy in the Federal Court but lost. Justice Melissa Perry ruled the rule lawful. De Belin returned to the field after the case ended. He has since played regularly for the Dragons. The 34‑year‑old has made 245 NRL appearances since 2011. He has represented New South Wales in State of Origin and Papua New Guinea at Test level. Earlier this year, Parramatta Eels announced they had signed him for 2025. De Belin said leaving the Dragons 'broke his heart' after his long career at the club.
