Pre-trial legal argument has resumed in the sexual assault case against sidelined St George Illawarra Dragons star Jack de Belin.
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Lawyers for de Belin and his co-accused, Callan Sinclair, returned to Wollongong District Court on Monday after a four-month hiatus due to the earlier unavailability of a sick witness and inherent delays caused by the partial shutdown of the courts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
De Belin and Sinclair stand accused of sexually assaulting a young woman inside a North Wollongong unit block during a night out in December 2018.
They have each pleaded not guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual assault in company and one count of aggravated sexual assault in company inflicting actual bodily harm.
Their joint jury trial had been due to start in early February however lawyers for both men raised significant legal complications in the case they said needed to be resolved before a trial could begin.
The court was subsequently closed to the public and the media for a week and a half of legal discussion before one of the key, pre-trial witnesses fell ill.
The case was adjourned to April to continue the debate, however those sittings had to be abandoned due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the case re-listed for this week.
The pre-trial argument is expected to continue for most of the week.
Details of what is currently being discussed in court cannot be published for significant legal reasons.
However, Judge Andrew Haesler told the court he hoped to be in a position to give a judgement on the issues in contention by Friday.
De Belin and Sinclair, who have been in court for each day of the proceedings, remain on conditional bail.
