Stewart's sex assault case hears of confrontation

BEN RUSHTON/Sydney Morning Herald

MEDIA SCRUM: Brett Stewart outside a Sydney court where his sex assault committal hearing was adjourned. The Manly and Australian rugby league fullback has denied the charges.

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The father of a girl who claims she was sexually assaulted by Manly fullback Brett Stewart told police the star player's pants were open, his fly was undone and ''his old guy'' was visible during a confrontation after the alleged incident, a court has heard.

According to documents tendered during Stewart's committal hearing yesterday a woman then came out of Stewart's townhouse and pointed towards his crotch.

''Why are your pants undone?'' she had asked, then said: ''Not again,'' before Stewart told her to go back inside.

Stewart, 24, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he sexually and indecently assaulted the 17-year-old on March 16 outside a block of townhouses in North Manly where he lived.

It is alleged that following a brief conversation, Stewart had ''cornered'' the teen before shoving his tongue into her mouth and then putting his hands down her pants and touching her vagina, Downing Centre Local Court heard.

Stewart arrived at court with his girlfriend, Jaime Baker, by his side. As he moved through the media scrum, a female fan wearing a Sea Eagles jersey shouted, ''I love you, Brett.''

Stewart's parents, his sister and fellow teammate and brother Glenn, were also in court, as was Manly coach Des Hasler.

Earlier on the day in question Stewart had attended the Manly club's season launch.

He was later kicked out of the North Steyne Hotel for being intoxicated, before catching a taxi home, court documents claim.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had told police she had been smoking a cigarette outside the complex when Stewart arrived.

He was wearing a suit without a tie and his top buttons were undone.

He had laughed and said ''Yuck'' as he blew her cigarette smoke away. She could smell alcohol on his breath.

''I've seen you on TV,'' she had told him, without knowing where.

''You probably have,'' he had replied.

She began to move away when Stewart allegedly called, ''Wait.''

''I walked back [towards him] and I saw him keep looking around as if he was seeing if anyone was around,'' the girl had told police.

''I said, 'Are you all right? Are you lost?' He then lent towards my face and before I had time to move or react he had his tongue in my mouth,'' the girl had said, telling police he then touched inside her shorts and underwear.

She had run to her home and told her father, who later confronted Stewart.

''Did you touch my daughter?'' the man had asked.

''I wouldn't touch her, bro, you know me, bro,'' Stewart had allegedly replied. ''I f---en live here, I never f---en touched anybody, I live here, bro.''

The father told police Stewart had said: ''Don't you know who I am?'' but he said he was not aware of the former Australian representative's profile, as he did not follow rugby league.

The girl's brother said she had changed since the alleged assault and was now too scared to leave the house on her own and would ask him or their father to accompany her when walking to the shops.

The girl's stepmother told police she saw Stewart's belt buckle was open but she could not see his genitals.

She claims to have also heard the woman ask Stewart why his pants were open.

The matter was adjourned until March 22 to allow the alleged victim's father, who is overseas, to give evidence.

- © Fairfax NZ News