Kurtley Beale’s rape trial hears footy star’s secretly recorded phone call with his alleged victim: ‘I’m so sorry I made you feel like this’
- Ex-Wallaby faces one count of sexual intercourse without consent
- The 35-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges
- Didn’t know the phone conversation with the woman was recorded by the police
Rugby star Kurtley Beale told his rape accuser he had “misinterpreted the situation” and apologized to the woman in a secretly recorded phone call.
The 35-year-old is facing a trial in the NSW District Court charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of sexual touching in connection with an alleged attack on the woman at Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel in December 2022.
The former Wallabies playmaker has pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyer arguing the sexual interaction at the Sydney pub was consensual.
In a phone call that Beale did not know was being recorded by police, he told the woman he had the impression she was interested in him and expressed concern that she would be made public.
Beale (pictured outside court on Tuesday) said he had ‘no excuses’ during secretly recorded phone call with woman who accused him of sexual assault
“I was super damned, but there are no excuses in that regard,” Beale said in the appeal, which was played to a jury on Tuesday.
“I’m so sorry I made you feel this way. I misjudged the whole situation. Now I’m damn nervous.’
During her first day of evidence on Monday, the woman made detailed allegations that Beale touched her bottom and forced her to perform oral sex in a toilet area.
The recorded phone call took place between the pair on January 19, 2023 – about a month after the alleged rape took place.
Beale initially told the woman he didn’t remember seeing her that night, but later suggested we had made contact.
In the phone call in court, the ex-Wallaby (pictured) said he remembered exposing his genitals to his accuser in the bathroom of a Bondi Beach pub.
“We haven’t really had any contact,” the woman responded in the recorded conversation.
The woman previously told the jury that a “heavily intoxicated” Beale touched the bare skin of her buttocks in a main bar, and later grabbed her head and forcefully inserted his penis into her mouth in a locked stall in the men’s room.
“We went to the men’s room and then I thought it was on for some reason,” Mr. Beale said during the phone call.
“You took your dick out,” the woman tells him.
“Yes, I remember, I remember,” Mr. Beale replied.
The woman asked Beale why he thought she was interested in him, even though she kept telling him “no.”
“Maybe it’s my blurred vision and not understanding the situation,” Beale replied.
The rugby player’s barrister, Margaret Cunneen SC, previously told the jury that there was no force involved in the alleged rape and that the defense implied the complainant consented.
The 35-year-old (pictured outside the court on Tuesday) repeatedly apologized to his alleged victim during the phone call, which he was unaware was being recorded by police.
Beale also said during the conversation that he remembered touching the woman on the buttocks, an action he described as “inappropriate.”
“F***, sorry about that,” he said.
‘It wasn’t okay at all, I’m now thinking back to it a bit.’
The woman had not previously met the rugby player, but had followed him on Instagram, the court previously heard.
During the phone call, Beale repeatedly expressed concern that the incident could become public and damage his reputation.
“How do I know you won’t move on?” Beale asked.
‘Because of my profile and all.
“Can we deal with it in a civil way, or in a way that protects us both?”
Ms Cunneen urged the jury to take the woman’s honesty and trustworthiness into account when giving evidence.