NRL hits Parramatta’s Dylan Brown with massive ban and huge fine

Dylan Brown has incurred a seven-match ban and a $40,000 fine from the NRL after being found guilty of sexually touching a woman without consent on an alcohol-fuelled night out last month.

The punishment came as the league handed Warriors forward Josh Curran a two-game ban and a $10,000 fine for assaulting a teenager at a Port Macquarie nightclub last October.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dylan Brown given new bail conditions.

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Brown was charged by police over an incident at the Golden Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay on June 3 and has not played for Parramatta since, having been subject to the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy.

Usually only applied to offending players facing a maximum jail term of 11 years or more, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo used his discretionary power to apply the policy to Brown, given the serious nature of the offence against a woman.

The five-eighth appeared in court last Wednesday where he received an 18-month community corrections order after pleading guilty to two counts of unwanted sexual touching.

On Monday, the NRL released the findings of its investigation into the incident, confirming the three matches Brown has already missed are counted towards his seven-game ban.

Half of his $40,000 fine will be suspended and only triggered if he fails to complete an education and training program or if he reoffends.

Brown he will be cleared to return for the Eels in the round 23 match against St George Illawarra.

“The NRL does not tolerate unlawful conduct of any nature let alone offences against women”, Abdo said.

“The education and training requirements will be specifically targeted at rehabilitation and prevention.

“It will also reinforce Dylan’s responsibilities as an NRL player, particularly the responsible consumption of alcohol and the impact his behaviour has had, most importantly on the victim, but also on others, his club and the game as a whole”.

The NRL integrity unit began investigating Curran after he assaulted a 16-year-old at a Port Macquarie nightclub around 3am on the day of last year’s NRL grand final.

NSW Police charged the 24-year-old with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, reckless grievous bodily harm, and larceny.

Curran appeared in Port Macquarie Local Court last week, where the second two charges were withdrawn.

The Warriors player pleaded guilty to assault but avoided conviction and was placed on a good behaviour bond.

The NRL finalised its investigation on Monday and determined Curran would miss the Warriors’ clash with Parramatta on Saturday.

Acting on an NRL directive, the Warriors withdrew Curran from their most recent match, against South Sydney, which will count towards his ban.

Curran and Brown have five days to respond to their breach notices.