Despite admitting he delivered a signed rugby league shirt to a woman’s home with the intention of ‘being intimate’ with her, a former NRL star denies groping her or putting his hands down her pants.
George Burgess is facing a charge of non-consensual sexual touching in court for allegedly touching the woman’s buttocks, an allegation he vehemently denies.
Giving evidence in Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court on Monday, the 31-year-old said he attended the woman’s home on March 8, 2022 to give her a signed St George Illawarra shirt.
The British-born player said he never touched her behind, but admitted he put his hand on her lower back while she was in the kitchen making tea.
“I kind of came up behind her to see what tea she was using,” he said under questioning by his attorney, Bryan Wrench.
‘At that point I touched her lower back.’
The woman, who cannot legally be named, then asked if he was married and he replied ‘yes’, the court heard.
George Burgess is pictured arriving at Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court where he faces charges of sexually touching a woman
Burgess (pictured playing for South Sydney in 2013) said he had attended the woman’s home to give her a signed St George Illawarra jersey
The pair sat on her sofa, where the former front rower said he chatted, joked and put his arm around her for a picture.
“I was cheeky, I was kind,” he said.
‘I recognize that. It was nothing more than that’.
Under cross-examination by police prosecutor Adrian Walsh, the 31-year-old said he had put his hands on the woman’s back to be friendly.
‘You don’t do that to all your friends, do you?’ Sergeant Walsh asked.
“Most of them,” Burgess replied.
He admitted he asked the woman to cuddle on the sofa and stay for five minutes to ‘be naughty’ with him.
‘While in the lounge you said to her ‘nothing has ever happened between us but something should’. Do you remember saying that?’ Sgt Walsh asked.
“Yes,” Burgess replied.
Burgess (pictured playing for Souths in 2018) admitted asking the woman to cuddle and stay for five minutes to ‘be naughty’ with him
He denied trying to kiss or have sex with the woman or mentioning her ‘juicy ass’, but admitted he tried to ‘hit (her) up to be intimate’.
He also told the court that he did not put his hands down the front of his trousers.
After seeing that the woman was ‘a bit uncomfortable’, she repeated that she had to go to work, Burgess said he got up, left her apartment and went home.
He sent her a ‘horny devil’ emoji after leaving to admit he had been ‘a bit cheeky, a bit flirtatious’, the court heard.
Burgess received a Snapchat message from the woman the next day making an allegation of sexual assault and groping him, the court heard.
“It can destroy not only your family, but also your career,” the woman wrote.
“I was devastated, I was shocked,” Burgess said.
‘I’ve never had anyone say that about me, so I was completely surprised by it.’
Burgess (pictured right, outside a Sydney court on Monday) said he was ‘100 per cent’ sorry for offending the woman
Burgess said he was ‘100 per cent’ sorry for offending the woman and had later sent Snapchat messages in an attempt to defuse the situation.
‘By defusing it, were you trying to water it down so it would protect your family and your career?’ Sgt Walsh asked.
“Yes,” replied the former NRL star.
Burgess retired from rugby league in November after playing for South Sydney, Wigan Warriors and finally St George Illawarra.
