St George Illawarra chairman Craig Young says he made “an error in judgement” by providing a reference for disgraced star Brett Finch on club letterhead.
Finch, who played 270 NRL matches and represented New South Wales, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to one count of using a carriage service to transmit, publish or promote child abuse in August.
In a letter to the District Court judge, Young wrote that Finch was a “highly decent young man.”
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In a statement, Young has conceded he was wrong to use his position at the club for the reference.
“It was an error in judgement to put this statement on club letterhead,” Young said.
“I was asked to provide a letter of support to a family friend who I believe made a serious mistake but is a fundamentally decent person.
“I should not have connected the club to this matter and would like to apologise to members, fans, sponsors and all other stakeholders for any distress caused.”
Young, a former police detective, wrote in the reference that he had known Finch “for the majority of his life.”
“I believe that Brett is a highly decent young man who has made a genuine mistake in this instance,” the reference says.
“I also believe that you will never see him before the courts again.”
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