Top BBC pundit & ex-rugby league star is charged with sexually assaulting woman at sports club

A TOP BBC pundit and former rugby star has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman at a sports club.

Danika Priim allegedly groped the woman at a cricket club in Leeds, West Yorkshire on July 22, 2022.

Pundit Danika Priim has been charged with sexual assault

The 40-year-old, who played for Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and England during a six-year career, appeared in court last week.

The case has now been sent to Leeds Crown Court, where Priim is set to appear on March 13.

No pleas have been entered and the former prop forward is charged with one count of sexual assault.

The charge states Priim allegedly “intentionally touched a woman aged 16 or over” and that touching “was sexual when she did not consent and you did not reasonably believe that she was consenting”.

Priim made her Leeds Rhinos debut against ex-club Bradford Bulls in 2018 and went onto make 29 appearances – scoring three tries.

She was part of the Leeds team who secured the Challenge Cup and Super League double in 2019.

Priim first played for England in 2015 and represented the national squad in the 2017 World Cup in Australia.

She retired from rugby league in 2021 aged 37 after winning every major domestic honour.

The player, who also earned international honours for England, then began commentating for the BBC and Sky.

She was also part of Channel 4‘s Super League production in 2022, which landed her a nomination for the prestigious Broadcast Sport Awards.

Priim was named as part of the BBC team for the Rugby League World Cup in 2022 and also covered the Olympic rugby 7s at the Paris 2024 games.

In September last year, Priim was appointed as vice-chair of the Rugby Football League, alongside president Adam Hills – presenter of Channel 4 talk show The Last Leg.

She revealed she considered giving up her “dream job” last year after receiving abuse on social media.

Priim said: “I love what I do. I absolutely love every second of it. I’m in a phenomenal opportunity that I get to go and do loads of new things. But is it worth the day or two where I have cried?

“You know, getting inbox messages from people direct messaging me to say that they want to slit my throat because I didn’t like their team.

“I have thought what’s the point? I have thought about stopping doing it at the end of last year. But then you remember that the people who employ you are the ones whose opinions matter.

“I’d say 90% of the time it’s okay, but the other 10% can be a really rough ride.”

Priim is due to appear in court next month

The former rugby player does punditry work for the BBC, Sky and Channel 4

She played for Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and England before retiring