Former NRL star George Burgessis is fighting allegations he twice grabbed a woman’s bottom without her consent after meeting to swap a signed jersey for a cancer charity event.
The 31-year-old pleaded not guilty last year to a single charge of sexually touching another person without consent while he was at the woman’s Sydney home last year.
The former St George Illawarra Dragons forward admitted going to the home of the woman, who he had known for about a decade, after agreeing to provide a signed jersey.
The woman, who cannot be named, told police in footage filmed in court on Monday that Mr Burgess tried to kiss her moments after handing over the charity item.
Burgess (right, pictured in court with his lawyer Bryan Screw on Monday) has pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexual touching without consent.
“That’s when I said, ‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ to defuse the situation… I opened the cupboard and he turned around (and) grabbed me by the low,” the woman told police.
“I froze inside and just stared at the tea. He placed a hand on either side of my body and leaned against me. …I told him, ‘That’s not going to happen.’
The woman told police she asked Mr Burgess about his wife and children, to which he allegedly replied: “You know how it is.”
Police allege Mr Burgess tried to kiss the woman again after the tea was spilled due to milk, before suggesting the pair “cuddle” on the sofa.
“I was hot and sweating. That’s when he turned around and said: ‘You’re hot, why don’t you take off your sweater?'” the woman told General Police in footage played in court .
“He leaned back and that’s when he put his hand down his pants. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He stood up and said, “I like your juicy ass” and grabbed my ass.
“I said, ‘Nothing will happen.’ He said, “Stay and be mean to me.” He tried to kiss me again… I said, “I’m a good girl and this isn’t happening.” He laughed.
The former South Sydney and St George Illawarra star allegedly told woman “stay and be mean to me” after telling her nothing would happen between them
Police prosecutor Adrian Wash told Sydney’s Downing Central Court that Mr Burgess left the property after telling the woman they would “talk in 10 years”.
Days later, the woman confronted Mr Burgess in Snapchat messages which were also provided to police. In the messages, Mr Burgess apologized for the alleged incident.
Mr Burgess’ lawyer Bryan Screw told the court the former NRL star did not dispute going to the house to collect the jersey, but he “completely denied” he did so. I caught it.
Mr Screw told the court there was no DNA evidence on the woman’s sweater from Mr Burgess and questioned evidence taken by police from his phone after the report.
The court heard Snapchat messages, which are automatically deleted, had not been saved before the incident and the pair were “best friends” on the app.
The woman took notes after the alleged incident and immediately reported it to her friends and then her partner, the court was told, but she did not report the incident to police until a few days later later.
Burgess (pictured playing for Souths) was the “best friend” of the woman he is accused of groping, the court heard.
The investigating officer, Detective Senior Constable Olivia Matthews, said the woman told her she delayed reporting the allegations to police because of concerns about the “repercussions” of possible media reports.
Nonetheless, Mr Screw told the court the woman was interviewed by the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail after the allegations were published last year.
At the time of Mr Burgess’s arrest, the Dragons said they had informed the NRL integrity unit, but he had not been stopped from playing.
Mr Burgess retired from the game later that year, but in a May Instagram he hinted at a return to the sport with the caption: “The comeback is on the way.”
Later that month Mr Burgess announced he would return to play with the Cairns Brothers in the Cairns and District Rugby League competition.
Magistrate Emma Manea told the court a number of witnesses are expected to be called later on Monday, including the woman, a friend and other police officers.