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BJ has also been quoted he will stick around until Jack Debelins case is over.
AFB was guilty was he not when Dragons showed him the door or admitted the indiscretion I apologise if that is incorrect DP but if I am right There is a big difference. JDB..... has not even had a pre trial yet and maintains innocence. Our club know more than the peanut gallery
Hmmmm Interesting... the timing of thisJack de Belin sues Telegraph for defamation over 'rapist' allegations
Michaela Whitbourn
February 20, 2020 — 5.51pm
Suspended NRL player Jack de Belin has launched defamation proceedings against The Daily Telegraph over a front page story, cartoon and tweet he says imply he is a rapist and a "despicable person".
In documents filed in the Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday, lawyers for de Belin seek damages, including aggravated damages, and legal costs for a story published on February 21 and headlined "Rub Out the Grubs: League Immortal draws line in sand on NRL shame."
Jack de Belin outside Wollongong District Court earlier this month.CREDIT:KATE GERAGHTY
The front page story featured an interview with Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and reported the former footballer "wants the NRL to bench stars charged by police during the code's summer of shame until their cases are heard by courts".
"Meninga told The Daily Telegraph yesterday accused rapist Jack de Belin should be suspended immediately while he contests a rape charge and the NRL had to act on violence against women," the report said.
De Belin is also suing over a related tweet which linked to the story and said: "Kangaroos coach says NRL bad boys should be stood down from playing."
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Suspended NRL player's rape trial hit by more delays
Lawyers for de Belin say the story and tweet defamed the suspended NRL player by suggesting he is "a rapist" and a "despicable person in that he raped a woman".
They say the same allegations were conveyed by the front page in combination with a cartoon on page 23 of the newspaper, which featured Mal Meninga grabbing the throat of a man who is wearing a football jersey with the word "creep" printed across the chest. The man in the jersey is in turn grabbing the throat of a woman.
De Belin's lawyers say the front page, in combination with the full reports on pages four and five, also defamed him by suggesting that de Belin "so conducted himself by raping a woman that he deserved to miss out on being picked for the Australian rugby league team".
In May last year de Belin lost a Federal Court challenge to the Australian Rugby League Commission's no-fault stand-down rule, which sidelines players facing serious criminal charges until their cases are heard.
The Telegraph report, which referred to de Belin as an "accused rapist", was published before the suspension was announced.
De Belin and Shellharbour Sharks player Callan Sinclair were charged in December 2018 with the aggravated sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in a Wollongong apartment on December 9.
The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and were initially expected to face a two-week jury trial starting on February 3.
On February 13 Wollongong District Court Judge Andrew Haesler adjourned pre-trial proceedings until April 8 to allow a witness, whose identity has been suppressed, to recover from an illness before giving evidence.
Judge Haesler has now foreshadowed that District Court scheduling issues may mean the trial will not begin before August.
De Belin's lawyers are also seeking an order that the story and tweet be "permanently removed" from the internet.
They seek aggravated damages on a range of bases, including that the Telegraph did not seek a response from de Belin prior to publication and allegedly presented the material in an "over-sensationalised manner noting the language, tone and production style", which indicated an "intent to injure" him.
The case has been assigned to Justice Anna Katzmann and the parties are due to appear in court for the first of a series of preliminary hearings on March 30.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/jac...-over-rapist-allegations-20200220-p542tc.html
Our club knows nothing other than what JDB has told them
So what does that have to do with the comparison of AFB who pleaded guilty and shown the door and JDB who has not been shown the door as to my knowledge is still innocent and people whingeing about him Getting special treatment from the club over others
This is the article that sparked the outrage. A Telegraph writer even went on TV holding a newspaper poll in the air, like it was some sort of 'proof'... but it looked more like a declaration of victory.Jack de Belin sues Telegraph for defamation over 'rapist' allegations
Michaela Whitbourn
February 20, 2020 — 5.51pm
Suspended NRL player Jack de Belin has launched defamation proceedings against The Daily Telegraph over a front page story, cartoon and tweet he says imply he is a rapist and a "despicable person".
In documents filed in the Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday, lawyers for de Belin seek damages, including aggravated damages, and legal costs for a story published on February 21 and headlined "Rub Out the Grubs: League Immortal draws line in sand on NRL shame."
Jack de Belin outside Wollongong District Court earlier this month.CREDIT:KATE GERAGHTY
The front page story featured an interview with Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and reported the former footballer "wants the NRL to bench stars charged by police during the code's summer of shame until their cases are heard by courts".
"Meninga told The Daily Telegraph yesterday accused rapist Jack de Belin should be suspended immediately while he contests a rape charge and the NRL had to act on violence against women," the report said.
De Belin is also suing over a related tweet which linked to the story and said: "Kangaroos coach says NRL bad boys should be stood down from playing."
RELATED ARTICLE
COURTS
Suspended NRL player's rape trial hit by more delays
Lawyers for de Belin say the story and tweet defamed the suspended NRL player by suggesting he is "a rapist" and a "despicable person in that he raped a woman".
They say the same allegations were conveyed by the front page in combination with a cartoon on page 23 of the newspaper, which featured Mal Meninga grabbing the throat of a man who is wearing a football jersey with the word "creep" printed across the chest. The man in the jersey is in turn grabbing the throat of a woman.
De Belin's lawyers say the front page, in combination with the full reports on pages four and five, also defamed him by suggesting that de Belin "so conducted himself by raping a woman that he deserved to miss out on being picked for the Australian rugby league team".
In May last year de Belin lost a Federal Court challenge to the Australian Rugby League Commission's no-fault stand-down rule, which sidelines players facing serious criminal charges until their cases are heard.
The Telegraph report, which referred to de Belin as an "accused rapist", was published before the suspension was announced.
De Belin and Shellharbour Sharks player Callan Sinclair were charged in December 2018 with the aggravated sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in a Wollongong apartment on December 9.
The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and were initially expected to face a two-week jury trial starting on February 3.
On February 13 Wollongong District Court Judge Andrew Haesler adjourned pre-trial proceedings until April 8 to allow a witness, whose identity has been suppressed, to recover from an illness before giving evidence.
Judge Haesler has now foreshadowed that District Court scheduling issues may mean the trial will not begin before August.
De Belin's lawyers are also seeking an order that the story and tweet be "permanently removed" from the internet.
They seek aggravated damages on a range of bases, including that the Telegraph did not seek a response from de Belin prior to publication and allegedly presented the material in an "over-sensationalised manner noting the language, tone and production style", which indicated an "intent to injure" him.
The case has been assigned to Justice Anna Katzmann and the parties are due to appear in court for the first of a series of preliminary hearings on March 30.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/jac...-over-rapist-allegations-20200220-p542tc.html
The thing with these trials by media that are increasingly common is that they are not good for either party. This is why the innocent until proven guilty system has evolved over centuries of British law.
yes it has changed a bit, and very recent
No. 'Trials by media' are fine. Any lawyer worth their salt can, and should, use the media to their client's advantage.
Yeah but what if the client is actually guilty but uses the trial by media argument, or vise versa?
The legal team would have method to the madness I assume
Mate it's tricky. I'm not a defamation specialist - the overlap between crim and defo law is quite complex (but that's why you'd brief a barrister)
Im not talking about the defamation case I'm talking about the criminal case. Cases which can ruin peoples lives if not conducted correctly. The defamation cases usually come after the fact. Im not going to speculate on any potential new information in the timing of the defamation case as I don't want to participate in trail by media but suffice to say I hope no lives are incorrectly destroyed out of this case on either side.
Haha you stress too much. f**k-ups happen every day. Believe me.
If only life were as simple as you imagine it would be a lot easier...
You've misunderstood me. But who cares.
If the trial has taken this long, imagine the appeal...He's not a rocket scientist, he's a great football player. If this stretches out for another year or two his career and life are irreparably damaged. Lets just move on, the legal system as developed over hundreds if not thousands of years, and now all of a sudden the internet has really tested it. Lets just leave it to people a lot smarter than us, stop wasting our time debating it and hope for a fair outcome.
Exactly. I mean it would look stupid coming out an doing this to then....
