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Swimmer pleads guilty to assault

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-25 11:02

SYDNEY, Australia _ Australian swimmer Nick D'Arcy has pleaded guilty to assaulting former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Simon Cowley in a nightclub on March 13, just hours after he'd won selection for the Beijing Olympics.

D'Arcy was not present Tuesday at Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, where his solicitor entered the plea on his client's behalf.

D'Arcy had been charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm on Cowley in an incident that led to him being banned from Australia's Olympic squad for bringing the sport and the team into disrepute.

Cowley, 27, had five titanium plates fitted after suffering fractures to his jaw, eye socket and facial injuries.

The 21-year-old D'Arcy, who returned to competitive swimming at the World Cup shortcourse event in Sydney last month, will be sentenced in the same court on February 20.

Swimming Australia declined to comment on D'Arcy's case except to say that the young swimmer would be allowed to continue training and competing.

Leitner said that although his client acted defensively when approached by Cowley, his response was excessive.