Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown has been charged with five counts of sexual touching without consent in an alleged incident involving a stranger at a Double Bay venue on Saturday night.
Brown, one of the highest profile players at the Eels, was the subject of a complaint to staff at the Golden Sheaf pub, after which police were called to the venue.
The Kiwi international is alleged to have groped a 20-year-old woman multiple times on the pub’s dance floor before staff were alerted. Brown was taken for questioning at Waverley Police station in the early hours of Sunday morning, after which he was charged.
“About 11.40pm yesterday officers attached to Eastern Suburbs PAC were called to a hotel on South Head Rd at Double Bay following a report of sexual touching,” a police statement read.
“Police arrested a 22-year-old man. He was taken to Waverley Police Station where he has been charged with sexually touch another person without consent.
“He was granted bail to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, June 7.”
Parramatta released a statement confirming the NRL Integrity Unit had been alerted.
“The NRL Integrity Unit is aware of the matter and is liaising with the Parramatta Eels and NSW Police,” an NRL spokesman said.
Brown and the Eels had the bye this weekend, with the club confirming there were no restrictions around players being out drinking.
Parramatta’s next game is against traditional rivals Canterbury on next Monday’s public holiday, with teams named, as usual, on Tuesday afternoon.
Eels sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated the club would likely pick Brown ahead of his court appearance on Wednesday, unless the NRL intervene and demand otherwise.
The NRL Integrity Unit will continue to gather facts of the case before determining whether Brown faces scrutiny under the game’s no-fault stand down policy.
The offence of sexual touching without consent carries a maximum penalty of five years jail time in NSW, meaning it does not fall under the automatic stand-down threshold required by the NRL policy, which is for a serious offence carrying an 11-year imprisonment term.
But NRL chief Andrew Abdo has the ability to use “discretionary powers” to stand down a player if they are charged with alleged offences involving women or domestic violence.
Police have also taken out an interim apprehended violence order (AVO) against Brown.
Brown has long been an important figure in the Eels fortunes and has warmed into his season this year after a slow start like many of his teammates.
He is seen as a key pillar in the club’s long-term future, re-signing last December on a lucrative eight-year deal containing several options in his favour, the first of which sees him off-contract in 2025.
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