Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling could sue New South Police after assault charges are thrown out
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Canberra Raiders hooker could sue New South police after assault charges dropped and offices come under scrutiny for hitting him over the head
The legal team representing Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling is considering legal action against NSW Police after assault charges against the NRL star were dismissed yesterday.
But the Raiders star is itching to play again after a night of terror in 2020 followed by another two years of nervously waiting for his case to go to trial.
Starling, his brothers Jackson and Josh, along with their friend Jesse Byrne, were charged after security cameras caught a wild street fight at the Shady Palms Hotel in Avoca Beach in December 2020.
Starling shows the injuries she sustained during the fight at the Shady Palms Hotel in Avoca Beach right after the incident.
Starling looks to offload the ball during the NRL round 7 match between the Penrith Panthers and the Canberra Raiders at BlueBet Stadium on 24 April 2022
It was alleged that a security guard called the mother of the Starling children a derogatory term that sparked the fight. During the incident, the police repeatedly hit Starling in the head.
He had been charged with obstructing police in the performance of their duty, but the charge was dismissed by Magistrate Daniel Covington at Downing Center Local Court on Friday.
Tom’s lawyer, Samar Singh-Panwar, spoke to the media after the case and suggested that a potential civil case against the New South Wales Police could follow.
“That (a lawsuit) is something that is being considered and there is certainly the possibility of a civil action case against the NSW Police,” Singh-Panwar said outside court.
Jackson brothers (left) Tom (second from right) and Josh (right) Starling leave Downing Central District Court in Sydney
“The magistrate found that the police were not acting in the exercise of their functions, but rather in a street fight, which is something that we have maintained from the beginning.”
A NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed that a Professional Standards Command investigation into the conduct of police officers at Shady Palms was “ongoing”.
Starling himself is relieved that the ordeal is over and he can prepare for the 2023 season with the Raiders.
“It’s been in my head for two and a half years, but being able to come here and be around the kids and play soccer made it 100 times easier,” he said. foxsports.com before the case.
“I’m really looking forward to finally doing that and really concentrating on my foot again.
“I came back (to the court) for two separate weeks in the season last year and then had to come back for another couple of sessions in the off-season.
There is no jury, only a judge. The longest my lawyer has ever seen, looking forward to not having to sue and go to court again.
“Not many people look forward to a court date, but it’s something I’m looking forward to for sure.”