Former rugby player jailed for sex assault on teenage girl.

Former Rugby Player Jailed for Sexual Assault of 15-Year-Old

Christopher Brooks, 34, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. The incident occurred on February 22, 2020, when Brooks plied the victim with vodka before kissing and groping her.

Brooks, who previously played rugby professionally, denied the allegations and took the case to trial. However, he was found guilty by a jury in July of three counts of sexual activity with a child.

During the sentencing hearing on September 13, the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, read a powerful impact statement. She described how the assault had "massively" affected her life, making it difficult for her to concentrate at school and impacting her GCSE performance.

Her mother also gave a statement, highlighting the struggles the family has endured over the past three and a half years. She expressed hope that Brooks would "never destroy a child's life again."

Judge Darren Preston condemned Brooks' continued denial of the offenses, stating that he had even suggested during the trial that he had been set up.

"He continues to find new ways to deny the offences, and claimed during the course of the trial that this had been a set up," said Judge Preston. "When you were arrested you denied the allegations, but your DNA was found on the inside of the victim's bra. You then came up with offensive theories as to how the DNA came to be inside her bra – anything to avoid the truth of what happened that night, which is that you were guilty of the attack."

Brooks was ordered to sign the sex offender's register for life.