Former NRL and State of Origin player Josh McGuire has been arrested and charged over serious claims involving a young child. Police confirmed that a 35-year-old man from Brighton was charged with two offences, one of them being common assault. The case is connected to an alleged incident involving the strangling of a five-year-old child.

The charges followed an investigation carried out by the Gateway Child Protection and Investigation Unit, after a complaint was made to authorities. According to reports, the case was taken seriously due to the age of the child involved and the nature of the accusation.

McGuire is expected to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on December 17, where the matter will be further addressed.

In his rugby league career, McGuire played 262 NRL games for the Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys, and St George Illawarra Dragons. He also had a short period playing for Warrington in the UK Super League. However, that stint ended when he received a 12-game suspension for using unacceptable language during a match.

On the representative level, McGuire played 14 games for the Queensland Maroons and eight games for Australia. He officially retired from professional rugby league in 2023.

The charges have come as a shock to many fans and followers of the sport, as McGuire was known for his tough and competitive playing style on the field. The case is still under investigation, and further details are expected to be revealed during the court process.

Until then, authorities have reminded the public that the accused is innocent until proven guilty in court.