Bryant due in court on sex assault charge

Lawyers for a US basketball star accused of sexual assault want any police officers who discussed the case with the media to be punished.

Kobe Bryant, a multimillionaire player for the Los Angeles Lakers, is due to make his first court appearance in Colorado later today.

His legal team are upset about press reports quoting anonymous sources who described reported injuries to the accuser and the amount of time she spent in Bryant’s room.

The sources also said Bryant had given inconsistent statements to the police.

The star’s lawyers want officers to take the stand in a separate hearing to be questioned under oath about whether they leaked information.

When Bryant appears in court today, Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett will advise him of his rights, the charge against him and the possible penalty, which ranges from probation to life in prison.

The player, who is currently free on bail, is charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman who worked at an exclusive resort hotel where Bryant stayed at the end of June. He has said he had consensual sex with her.

Last month, the 24-year-old star appeared at a press conference alongside his wife and fought back tears as he denied the charge.

He said he was “disgusted” at himself for cheating on his spouse.

But he strongly denied assaulting the woman: “I didn’t force her to do anything against her will. I’m innocent,” he said.

His wife Vanessa, who had their first child in January, held his right hand as he spoke.

“I love my wife with all my heart. She is my backbone,” he said.

Earlier, Vanessa Bryant said in a statement that her husband was “not a criminal”.

Basketball fans and commentators worldwide were shocked at the accusations against Bryant, who has been noted in the past both for his outstanding talent and his wholesome image as a young husband and father.