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#RESET SEWART TRIAL PROFESSIONAL#
Stewart told Phil Gould that due to the trial, he couldn’t fully concentrate on football, and one can only sympathise with the emotional toll it would have had on him having to juggle a professional football career and an off-field drama of such magnitude.īut he was hit hard financially too, allegedly spending around $300,000 on legal fees. He only played five games in 2009 – partly due to a knee ligament injury – and he played just one game in 2010 before his knee injury re-surfaced and ended his season. However, upon the allegations being made, the NRL pulled his image from the advertisement, he received a four-match suspension and his club received a $100,000 fine (officially for ‘drunkenness’ at the club launch).
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With his excellent reputation on and off the field, it was no surprise that the NRL wanted to use him in a flashy advertising campaign to promote the 2009 season. He represented New South Wales in State of Origin, he was selected in the Kangaroos squad, and helped Manly win the World Club Challenge. In the year prior to the accusation, he was Manly’s leading try-scorer and had played a central role in Manly’s win over Melbourne in the 2008 grand final. It was found that his accuser, now 19, and her father were dishonest and that she even suffered from mental illness.īut nevertheless the damage to Brett Stewart had been done.īefore the allegations were made, as a fullback with exceptional talent, Brett Stewart was one of the most celebrated players in NRL. Tensely clasping his hands, with tear filled eyes he told of the difficulty in knowing he did nothing wrong yet, “sitting back and copping everything that has been said.” He was grateful for the support of his family and the friends who stuck by him, and helped him “through the low points.” And last night’s interview showed that the relief of his acquittal had not yet sunk in. Upon hearing the not guilty verdict, his supporters were overjoyed, while Stewart was in tears.
#RESET SEWART TRIAL TRIAL#
The trial included favourable testimonies from his girlfriend Jamie Baker, Manly coach Des Hasler and of all people, deputy senior Crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen, who handled the Skaf gang rape trial. The ensuing investigation and court case took 18 months until the matter was settled on Wednesday with Stewart’s acquittal of all charges made against him.ĭuring the entire ordeal he had the support of his family and friends. On March 6 2009, after the club’s season launch, Stewart was accused of digitally penetrating and kissing a 17-year-old girl outside his townhouse in Manly.
#RESET SEWART TRIAL SERIES#
It was a broken man that told of the series of events that have forever ruined his image.