The Manly Sea Eagles rugby league player was yesterday found not guilty in a Sydney court of two counts of sexually assaulting a teenage neighbour outside his unit block in Manly, in Sydney’s north, on March 6 last year.
Stewart, 25, burst into tears when the jury’s verdict was announced, ending 18 months of anxiety for the fullback, his beauty therapist girlfriend Jaime Baker and his parents, Barry and Narelle, who sat beside him in the NSW District Court.
Stewart and his family, including brother and fellow Sea Eagles player Glenn Stewart, left court via a rear exit, evading the cameras and guaranteeing an exclusive story for the highest bidder.
The Nine Network last night promoted what it billed as an exclusive interview with Stewart to run on The Footy Show.
Sources close to the player said Stewart, who is understood to earn about $400,000 a year, has spent his life savings on defending the case and was now hoping to recoup some of the money.
Stewart employed Tony Bellanto QC and legal sources say the top silk, along with a junior barrister and instructing solicitor, would cost almost $200,000 for the 10-day trial and two-day committal hearing.
The only person to speak outside court on behalf of Stewart was his solicitor, Ian Byrne. “This was a case of a girl with hallucinations and delusions,” Mr Byrne said.
The woman, now 19, alleged she was approached by a drunken Stewart who stuck his tongue down her throat and digitally penetrated her.
But in Stewart’s version, which the jury believed, the girl grabbed him by the arm and tried to kiss him. The jury concluded that this was a case of false allegations of sexual assault given the contradicting evidence presented by the girl and her father.
Yesterday’s verdict brought an end to 18 months of hell for the one time face of rugby league.
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6 comments:
It is beyond a crime to put someone on trial for this.
This guy looses a huge sum of money and goes through hell based on someones WORD.
I have had enough of there rape shield laws.
If you want to accuse someone of a sex crime your name should be released.
If someone shot, stabbed, beat, or set me on fire my name would be released.
But if someone accused me of doing anything sexual to them they they get to be anonymous.
Just total BS.
Wimmin & Manginas
After years of observing the slaughter of men I simply no longer respect any wimmin, feminist or otherwise until Their innocence is proven first.
The political, legal and educational system is rotten and corrupt.
Misandry has destroyed any snow ball's chance in hell of equality let alone feeling like a male humanbeing is even allowed human rights of any kind.
Fuck you wimmin/manginas and crawl back under that wretched rock of blind hate you slithered from.
Dear anon, it’s not about justice, it’s about getting paid.
If you work in the Judicial System, this is a cash cow.
Think about it, the money didn’t just disappear, it went to Rape Industrialist such as, attorneys, investigators, court fees, and expert witnesses.
Hey, wait a minute, i thought women and girls would NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, lie about rape??
I would have to agree with Arod on that.
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