Wallabies star to stand trial after pleading not guilty to sexual assault
Kurtley Beale in action during a Wallabies training session.
Australia playmaker Kurtley Beale will stand trial after he was charged with three counts of sexual assault.
Beale was in court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of sexual touching another person without consent.
Another count of inciting another to sexually touch without consent was withdrawn by prosecutors.
The Waratahs player was accused of sexually assaulting a 28-year-old woman in the toilets of the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi on December 17 last year.
”Truth will come out”
“Devastated to be here,” Beale told reporters outside court.
“The allegation has been falsely [made] against me and the truth will come out.”
Beale rejoined the Waratahs ahead of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific campaign after a stint with French club Racing 92, but he was suspended by Rugby Australia following his arrest.
The statement released on January 20 read: “Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs advise that Kurtley Beale has been suspended from all forms of rugby with immediate effect pending the conclusion of legal proceedings, as well as Rugby Australia’s own investigations.
“This step follows Mr Beale’s arrest and subsequent charge with serious criminal offences and is in line with Rugby Australia’s Professional Player Code of Conduct.
“The Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) has been informed of this development.
“As this remains a legal matter, there will be no further comment until the conclusion of these proceedings.”
The 34-year-old was part of a Wallabies training camp in January after being picked by head coach Dave Rennie before he was subsequently stood down.
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