Former Australian cricketer Aaron Summers is facing a prison sentence after pleading guilty to child molestation charges in relation to incidents in Tasmania in 2018.The 30-year-old, who previously represented the Hobart Hurricanes and Tasmania in domestic cricket, changed his plea in late June and pleaded guilty to two counts of child sexual abuse and one count of grooming with intent to expose a child to indecent exposure.According to the court, the offenses took place while Summers was part of the Hobart Hurricanes squad. The Tasmanian High Court heard Mr Summers had been in contact with the victim via social media before the incident.At the hearing, Summers’ lawyer, Caroline Graves, said the offenses took place at a difficult time in her life, when she was isolated and spending a lot of time on social media. He told the court that Summers has reconsidered his actions and has a low risk of reoffending.“The trauma will never go away from his mind, but he has to move on with his life,” Ms Graves said, according to the Daily Mail.He also pointed out that Summers was considered one of the fastest players in the world at the time and was considered a world class player. “At the time of the attack, he was one of the fastest players in the world and that’s why he was recognized to play internationally,” he said, adding, “he knows he’s not going to play top cricket in Australia or overseas.Summers was jailed in the Northern Territory after pleading guilty in 2021 to separate charges of child abuse, including possessing and distributing child abuse material. His lawyer asked for a stay of execution, but Judge Helen Wood said that was not an option. Summers, who was out on bail, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in August.
