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SYDNEY - Rape charges against Warriors league player Michael Crockett have been dismissed by a Sydney court.
Crockett, 25, appeared before a committal hearing today at a Sydney court on three sex charges.
The NRL winger was accused of raping a 19-year-old woman he met at a nightclub during after-game celebrations in August last year.
However, Deputy Chief Magistrate Helen Syme has ruled the alleged victim's evidence, and that of her sister, was so inconsistent that a jury would not be satisfied she was telling the truth.
"In my view, there are a number of inconsistencies in the complainant's evidence that may wield difficulties for the prosecution case," she said.
"I'm therefore of the view that a jury, properly instructed in relation to the evidence in this matter would not convict the accused of the charges brought and for those reasons, I propose to discharge him."
Crockett sighed and mouthed "thank you" to his lawyer.
He refused to comment as he left the court.
Earlier his lawyer Geoff Bellew SC told the court the rape claims made against him defied logic and would not convince a jury.
Mr Bellew said the evidence was nonsensical, uncorroborated and inconsistent.
The offences allegedly took place at the woman's Alexandria flat in inner Sydney following a night out at the Sapphire Suite in Kings Cross on August 6.
Her elder sister, who also lived at the flat, was called to give evidence at a previous session of the hearing in June.
The 21-year-old told Ms Syme she saw Crockett lying on top of her sister when she entered her bedroom shortly before 7am.
Under cross examination she agreed there had been no noises or other signs of distress from her sister's bedroom that morning, and told the magistrate she was "shocked" by the subsequent rape claims.
Mr Bellew said the older woman contradicted her sister's account of the morning's events on a number of key issues, and submitted that her testimony "in fact exculpates" Crockett.
"The evidence is diametrically opposed," Mr Bellew told the court.
"Within the crown's own case there's a direct internal inconsistency between the two accounts.
"It is, in my respectful submission, simply contrary to common sense that (the alleged offences) could have happened."
Mr Bellew said the sister's evidence exposed a "tendency to embellish" by the alleged victim, and eroded her credibility, revealing the claims to be "demonstrably false".
"(The sister) saw nothing at all which even remotely suggested that her sister was in any difficulty," he said.
"It's completely and wholly exculpatory of the defendant and completely inconsistent with the proposition that an offence was being committed at that time."
Ms Syme ruled that there was sufficient evidence to satisfy a jury that an offence had been committed, and asked Crockett whether he wished to say anything or call any evidence before deciding whether he should stand trial.
"No, your honour," he replied.
Wearing a black suit and accompanied by members of his family, Crockett sat anxiously behind Mr Bellew as he made his submissions.
- AAP
