I have tried to stay out of this and let the due process take it's course. I must say that I am VERY UNCOMFORTABLE with DeBelin playing whilst this process takes its course. Police do not simply lay charges without (i) sufficient evidence and (ii) sufficient prospects of success. And of course I understand that the Police do not always get it right and that the presumption of innocence stands.
SGI Management need to step in now and stand DeBelin down (with pay) until and unless this matter is settled. As a father of 4, including 2 daughters I am not sure I will be able to bring myself to watch the team play with DeBelin in it. I actually feel sick about the prospect of him playing. It's a terrible, terrible look for the Club.
Leadership and standing for something please gentlemen; and do not dare to have the temerity to host a "Women in League" event this year. Appalling.
I am personally uncertain about whether he should play or should not play. To be honest when it happened in December I didn't expect to see him ever play for the Dragons again as he would go to gaol or if not guilty his reputational damage would be such that he would go to the UK to escape the scrutiny.
With the prevalence of suicide and self harm and our stronger understanding of mental issues and the Black Dog, I definitely think JDB should be provided with support and counselling by the club as he deals with the matter. This is not a statement that he should necessarily play but rather that the club should support him through that with counseling and psychological support. Brett Stewart was adversely affected by his case and his feelings of abandonment/persecution by the NRL appear to have affected him to this day. I would hate to see JDB's life damaged like that if he is found not guilty, the club needs to look after their employee's welfare while the case is happening.
From a personal perspective I think it would be better for everyone if JDB did not play but remained employed and earning his salary from SGI while the court case continues as the most balanced and respectful action for the accused and the accuser. TBH damage to the brand and club reputation are secondary to the well being of the parties involved and that should be the primary consideration of decisions. However, I fully respect that many others do not share this view and that is completely legitimate in a democratic society with free speech principles.
TBH from my perspective the laying of charges by Police does not provide an ipso facto declaration of guilt that warrants action in and of itself. Brett Stewart was charged by Police with a serious rape charge including penetration and then subsequently found to be not guilty. Subsequent facts not available at the time of charging became known to the court and he was found not guilty by a jury of his peers.
It is entirely feasible that other facts may be provided during discovery that result in a finding of not guilty.
Neither does the seriousness of charges provide ipso facto evidence warranting action; in a criminal matter the accused may be charged with a number of charges. For example in a murder case the accused may be charged with murder, manslaughter etc this because of the principle of double jeopardy ie you cannot be tried more than once on the same set of facts so the one case can have multiple charges.
However it is the headline charge that gets the press but it is not always the headline charge that the defendant is charged with. I believe the conviction rate for NSW prosecution is 90%, but that is of one charge not necessarily the headline charge or of a charge that warrants a custodial or even a criminal record. I am not aware of the detailed prosecution success rates in NSW so this percentage may be an incorrect interpretation of a 2017 statistical report.
I am unaware as to what facts if any any have been agreed by both the prosecution and defence so don't know what facts have been agreed by both parties without a shadow of a doubt. Those facts can clearly be used to consider whether he has brought the game into disrepute.
I expect to be flamed as this an emotive matter and people feel passionately about this and I welcome such reactions as it demonstrates humanity as people are shocked and horrified by the seriousness of this matter and the demanding of action is a way to demonstrate these feelings and to show perpetrators and potential perpetrators that their actions of vile acts of assault will not be tolerated.
