NRL player Dylan Brown has entered a guilty plea to inappropriately touching a lady at a Sydney hotel.
The Parramatta Eels player was accused with repeatedly groping a young woman’s breasts at The Golden Sheaf in Double Bay at approximately 11.40 p.m. on June 3. He made an appearance in the Downing Centre Local Court today.
Brown, 23, entered a guilty plea to two charges of making unwanted sexual advances on a lady. 3 charges were dropped by the police.
David Newham, Brown’s defence attorney, told the court that his client “knows the trouble he is in today.”
According to Newham, Brown was intoxicated from 15 to 20 beers while celebrating a birthday and was unable to recall the incident.
Brown sat in the courtroom with his eyes closed, shaking his head.
There were 25 seconds between the two infractions, the court was informed.
The football player, who was born in New Zealand, apologised for his behaviour in a letter to his female victim.
Brown has an alcohol issue, for which he received help in 2021, the magistrate was informed.
He must get treatment for his alcoholism as part of the 18-month community corrections order that the magistrate placed on him.
Brown declared he was “committed to learning from the experience” in a statement issued by the team.
First of all, Brown said, “I want to sincerely sorry to the person affected and the impact it has had on them.
“I do not take complete responsibility for my conduct, and I am not proud of the behaviour I demonstrated.
Additionally, I want to express my regret to everyone associated with the club for the harm that this episode has caused. I also promise to draw lessons from this experience.
Brown’s actions, according to Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos, did not live up to expectations set by the team.
The behaviour that was described in court today is reprehensible and goes against the standards we have at our club, according to Sarantinos. “Our club has a strong commitment to respectful behaviour towards women,” he stated.
“Dylan has expressed real remorse for his acts and accepted full responsibility for the impact they had on the individual they affected.
“While Dylan gains knowledge from this experience, the club will continue to assist him and work with him.
The NRL Integrity Unit and we will now discuss the next steps in resolving the issue.
Before deciding if and when Brown can return to the field for the Eels, the NRL is now evaluating the matter and the court’s findings.
The team doesn’t play until the next weekend, but a decision will probably be made sooner.
