Dragons player Jack de Belin to get sentencing 'discount' if he pleads guilty to rape charges
St George Illawarra Dragons player Jack de Belin will face an automatic 25 per cent discount in his sentence if he pleads guilty to his Wollongong rape charges, a court has heard.
De Belin and his co-accused, Callan Sinclair, stand accused of the joint rape of a woman inside de Belin's cousin's apartment on Gipps Street in the early hours of December 9.
Both were arrested and charged with one count each of aggravated sexual assault in company last December.
Dragons player Jack de Belin outside Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Adam McLean
It was revealed on Wednesday morning that police have since laid two additional rape charges against de Belin. An additional charge was also laid against Sinclair.
Charge sheets reveal the additional charges relate to the same alleged victim. It it understood they relate to individual acts alleged to have been committed by de Belin during the same sexual encounter that gave rise to the original charge.
Police documents previously tendered in court revealed the two players stand accused of repeatedly raping the 19-year-old woman inside the Wollongong apartment in the early hours of December 9.
Dragons player Jack de Belin outside Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Adam McLean
De Belin allegedly began having sex with the woman before inviting Sinclair to participate, saying "come on, have a go", as the woman lay on the bed, crying.
Both men have previously indicated their intentions to fight the charges at trial.
However, during a mention of their matter in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday morning, Magistrate Michael Stoddart formally advised the pair of their entitlements to a substantial discount if they decided to plead guilty ahead of any trial date.
"If any pleas are made it's important to note there will be a discount in relation to [sentencing]," he said.
Prosecutors told the court the five charges - three against de Belin and two against Sinclair - had now been formally certified by the Director of Public Prosecutions and both cases could now proceed to a "case conference", where lawyers for both parties will meet to discuss the issues in dispute and make formal pleas offers if practical.
"You have to make yourself available to [your lawyers] to determine whether any offers are made in relation to the charges," Magistrate Stoddart told both men as they stood before him in court.
De Belin's case conference will take place on June 4 and Sinclair's on June 17.
Both cases will return to court on July 24.