- Two trials failed to reach a verdict
- Former police officer pleaded guilty to perjury
- De Belin will face him in court at sentencing
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’.
St George Illawarra Dragons forward Jack de Belin will return to court to face the former police officer who admitted to lying during his sexual assault case that was ultimately dropped
De Belin leaves the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney after the first trial failed to reach a verdict
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.
The Dragons star was stood down under the NRL’s No Fault Stand-Down policy during the court proceedings
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.
