A sex offender who was welcomed back to a south-west Victorian football club after a stint in jail has been banned from the club.
The Tyrendarra Football Netball Club has come under intense scrutiny after an ABC investigation revealed it allowed James Williams to return to the club last year after he was jailed for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a post-season football trip.
The club has today issued a statement, in which Williams was not named, stating that its decision to allow him to return was wrong.
“We are sorry,” the statement by the club committee read.
“That player is no longer part of the Club and will not return.“
James Williams was completing a cabinetry making degree at the time of his offending. (Supplied)
The ABC understands Williams was kicked out of the club as a result of the media reporting.
“We accept we did not give enough weight to what our community rightly expects of a Club built around children, and those we let down deserve a straightforward apology,” the statement read.
“We also acknowledge those who have spoken about how this was handled, and the trust we have lost with them”
The apology was posted to social media this afternoon ahead of an face-to-face meeting with female footballers and netballers.
An original meeting, scheduled for yesterday, was abandoned after location details were shared on social media.
Tyrendarra has a women’s football club in the Western Victoria Female Football League. (ABC News: Daniel Miles)
Victim acknowledged
The club said it recognised the harm done to Williams’s victim, a then 15-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by him at a concert in Adelaide in 2022.
It also apologised to the broader community.
“To anyone in our community affected by this episode and its coverage, we are sorry for the distress it has caused,” the statement read.
The apology comes in the wake of the club losing sponsors, including south-west Victorian MP Roma Britnell.
Tyrendarra Football Netball Club apologised to players for the decision. (ABC News: Daniel Miles)
The club said it had followed a “careful process” when allowing Williams’ return, including expert advice and wide consultation across the club.
The ABC sought information from the club about what steps had been taken before Williams returned, as part of its investigation. The club did not respond.
The committee said it would introduce a binding code of conduct for players, coaches, officials and volunteers with clear grounds for removal if breached, on or off the field.
“We do not expect these commitments to be taken on trust alone. We intend to be judged on what we do from here,” the statement read.
This article is part of the ABC’s ongoing crowd-sourced series exploring cultural issues in grassroots football.
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