Former Australian cricketer Aaron Summers is facing the possibility of a jail sentence after pleading guilty to child s*xual abuse offences linked to an incident that took place in Tasmania in 2018, according to a report by a leading publication.
The 30-year-old, who previously played for Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes in domestic cricket, changed his plea in late June. He admitted guilt to two counts of penetrative s*xual abuse of a child and one count of grooming with the intention of exposing a child to indecent material.
The Supreme Court of Tasmania was told that the offences occurred while Aaron Summers was a member of the Hobart Hurricanes squad. Court proceedings also revealed that he had contacted the victim through social media before the incident.
During the hearing, Aaron Summers’ lawyer Caroline Graves argued that the offences took place during a difficult period in his life when he was socially isolated and spending excessive time on social media. She said he had reflected on his actions since then and was considered to be at a low risk of committing similar offences again. Caroline Graves also argued that he should be allowed to move forward with his life despite the lasting impact of the case.
The defence further highlighted Aaron Summers’ cricketing career, stating that he was regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the world at the time and was being considered for international cricket. However, Caroline Graves acknowledged that Aaron Summers now understands he has no future in professional cricket, either in Australia or overseas.
This is not Aaron Summers’ first conviction involving child exploitation offences. In 2021, he served a prison sentence in the Northern Territory after pleading guilty to separate charges related to possessing and transmitting child abuse material.
Although the defence requested that the court consider a suspended sentence in the current case, Justice Helen Wood indicated that such an option would not be available. Aaron Summers, who had been out on bail, was remanded into custody following the hearing. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
