Serious charges against former rugby league star Josh McGuire have been formally presented in a Brisbane courtroom for the first time, following allegations that he choked and assaulted a child. The 35-year-old ex-NRL forward, who represented Queensland in State of Origin, was scheduled to appear personally at Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 2nd, after an earlier December hearing was postponed.
Court Appearance Waived as Legal Proceedings Advance
However, solicitor Emma Kearney successfully applied for McGuire to be excused from attending in person, with Deputy Chief Magistrate Anthony Gett granting the request. McGuire, who remains on bail, faces specific charges of choking, suffocation or strangulation against a child, alongside a separate count of common assault against a child.
Defence Requests Evidence Disclosure
During Monday's proceedings, Ms Kearney urged Magistrate Gett to compel prosecutors to disclose crucial evidence in the case. She revealed that despite assurances from the arresting officer before Christmas that they possessed a statement of evidence from a child and a statement from the complainant child's mother, nothing had been provided to the defence team.
'The brief of evidence has not been disclosed despite the arresting officer telling our office prior to Christmas they were in possession of a statement of evidence by a child and a statement by the complainant child's mother,' Ms Kearney told the court. 'Nothing has been disclosed to our office.'
Bail Conditions and Adjournment
The defence solicitor emphasised that this material was 'particularly pertinent' for McGuire to potentially seek changes to his current bail conditions. 'The Crown has opposed all attempts to vary bail...we can't reasonably make any application in the absence of that evidence,' she explained.
Ms Kearney requested a court direction requiring prosecutors to provide the evidence within one week. In response, the prosecution sought a two-week adjournment to process and disclose the material properly, noting that 'a large portion of the brief of evidence has been received by our office. We are in the process of disclosing material.'
Magistrate Gett ultimately ordered prosecutors to provide the child and mother's statements to McGuire's defence within the coming week. The case was adjourned until February 16th, with McGuire's bail being extended until that date.
McGuire's Rugby League Career
The former enforcer enjoyed a substantial professional rugby league career spanning 15 seasons and 259 NRL games, beginning with the Brisbane Broncos in 2009. His accomplishments include:
- Earning 14 State of Origin caps for Queensland
- Representing both Samoa and Australia in international Tests
- Completing his career in the UK Super League with Warrington Wolves in 2023
McGuire's transition from celebrated rugby league figure to facing serious criminal allegations marks a significant fall from grace, with the legal process now unfolding through Brisbane's court system as both prosecution and defence prepare their cases.
