Call it horrible, call it shocking and totally stunning or call it what you may. But in what comes across as a truly shocking incident, it is being learnt that a former Australian cricketer could actually face no fewer than a jail sentence in connection with a sexual offence and that’s something that is totally horrible and completely objectionable in every which way.
The name of the cricketer is Aaron Summers and he is a known talent in the domestic and franchise circuit in Australia.
He has actually pleaded guilty to a case of child sexual offences, according to reports published in Australian media. Now, as per a recent media report published in India’s NDTV news portal-
“The Canberra Times, 30-year-old Aaron Summers, who has played in the Big Bash League (BBL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the past, pleaded guilty on two counts of penetrative sexual abuse of a child and grooming with the intent of exposing a child to indecent material. The offences reportedly occurred in January 2018, when Summers was a part of BBL team Hobart Hurricanes. He played as a fast bowler.”
Now moving on apparently, it is known that the former Australian cricketer happened to have met the girl at a local school where the horrible incident took place (or where the crime was committed).
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And that’s not all; what’s also known is that the cricketer Summers' lawyer whose name is Caroline Graves has told the Supreme Court of Tasmania (the region in Australia where the crime has been reported) that the Australian sports person had committed the offence which he did during a phase of life where he was going through a very difficult time.
He was, as per reports and the submissions of his lawyer, going through a period of social isolation and where things were anything but normal for him. He was, as it’s told by the lawyer, using social media frequently and it is further known that the lawyer has told the court that it is quite unlikely that the cricketer would ever reoffend, which basically means perpetrate a crime or offence of similar nature (again)!
In the exact statement submitted to the court in Tasmania, the following is what Summer’s lawyer has submitted to the court:
“This offending will never go away from his mind but he does need to get on with his life. At the time of the offending, he was one of the fastest bowlers in the world and that is why he was being identified to play internationally!”
What’s also to be added is that the 30-year-old cricketer has been remanded in custody after having been in bail previously. He is now to be sentenced in August. The cricketer has played franchise cricket in different parts of the world such as having represented Tasmania in Australian domestic cricket, played one game for Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL and on other occasions- two games for Karachi Kings in the PSL.
What the incident clearly shows is that to keep talent and skill completely aside from the life of cricketers, the humans that they are can fall victim to acts of their own horrible undoing as has been the case with the Australian national. And such incidents, however regrettable, bring a bad name to the sport, the very sportsmanlike and civilian conduct, thereby adding a regrettable aftertaste to an individual and his community.
