Lawyers representing Wallabies star Kurtley Beale say CCTV video from the night time of an alleged sexual assault is “at odds” with some claims from the alleged sufferer.
Mr Beale, 35, pleaded not responsible at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court late final yr to sexual activity with out consent, and two counts of sexual touching.
Police allege the previous NSW Waratahs star compelled a 28-year-old girl to have oral intercourse with him within the bathrooms of Bondi’s Beach Road bar on December 18, 2022.
Mr Beale is alleged to have additionally earlier sexually touched the lady minutes earlier than midnight on December 17 whereas on the bar, which police say was not consented to.
Defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC informed the jury throughout empanelment on Monday they wanted to maintain their thoughts’s open regardless of Ms Beale’s standing as a sport star.
“There are some people in the community who hear an allegation against a man … and think well, he’s a sportsman, he must have done it. He’s guilty,” she mentioned.
“We need people who can act as judges for a time and decide just on the evidence in this case, not because they’ve formed views in other cases about other men.
“It has to be decided on the evidence in this case, and not because of any thoughts about what has happened with other sportsmen or other men.”
Ms Cunneen informed the jury CCTV footage from the bar, which the jury is anticipated to be proven, was “at odds” with a few of the girl’s claims.
“We have evidence the woman who makes these accusations followed Mr Beale into the toilet and not the other way around,” Ms Cunneen informed the court docket.
“There’s two cases – we need people with an open mind, we just ask that you keep an open mind until all of the evidence is in this trial.”
Crown prosecutor Jeff Tunks informed jurors Mr Beale had allegedly “placed his penis in (the woman’s) mouth while in the cubicle of the men’s bathroom”.
Of 54 potential jurors, 12 had been chosen for the trial earlier than Justice Graham Turnbull on the Sydney court docket. They embrace seven ladies and 5 males.
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
