- Kayleb Minirapa Milne has pleaded guilty to assault
- Was with Melbourne and Cronulla during his playing days
A judge has dismissed alleged links between a former rugby league player’s brain injury and his repeated beating and strangling of a woman.
Kayleb Minirapa Milne, 25, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday to three counts of asphyxiation and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Milne was signed to play for NRL clubs Melbourne and Cronulla in 2018 and 2019 respectively and was called up to play in the second tier Queensland Cup.
Crown prosecutor Zachary Kaplan said Milne, as a tall and muscular man, physically assaulted a much smaller woman several times in 2023, causing bruises to her eyes, loss of consciousness and perforated eardrums.
Judge Michael Byrne was shown photographs of the young woman’s injuries.
Mr Kaplan said Milne assaulted the young woman so severely that she jumped out of a moving car and got into a stranger’s vehicle to seek help.
“The attacks, both in public and private, only stopped when she contacted emergency services,” Kaplan said.
Mr Kaplan read a statement from the woman to the court in which she said she had changed significantly from a happy and cheerful person to someone who was ‘hyper-vigilant’ and isolated from family and friends.
Former Melbourne Storm and Cronulla NRL player Kayleb Milne (pictured outside court) claimed he had a football-related brain injury when he was in court
Milne (pictured during his time with the Storm) pleaded guilty to assaulting a much smaller woman multiple times in 2023
‘I didn’t want them to see the injuries on my face and body. “I felt a lot of shame and embarrassment,” she said.
The woman said she sincerely hoped Milne would receive genuine support “to protect herself and others.”
“I believe in the possibility of change and do not want the perpetrator to be locked up,” the woman said.
Defense lawyer Martin Longhurst said Milne had been affected by domestic violence during his childhood and had sought treatment for suspected chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Mr Longhurst said Milne’s large frame at the age of 14 allowed him to play footy against grown men in New Zealand, resulting in him sustaining ‘some pretty brutal concussion injuries’.
Judge Byrne said there was not enough evidence to show Milne (pictured outside court) had the concussion-related brain disease CTE, which can only be diagnosed after death
“It is becoming increasingly notorious in contact sports that concussions can lead to impulsiveness and overly aggressive behavior,” Longhurst said.
Judge Byrne said there was not enough evidence to show Milne had CTE and that there was a causal link with his offending, but found he was remorseful.
“Horrible is a huge understatement, but that was your conduct,” Judge Byrne said.
Judge Byrne said he faced a difficult decision as Milne had committed serious offenses but sending him back to prison could interrupt his rehabilitation.
Milne was sentenced to four years in prison, immediately suspended after the 155 days he has already spent in custody, with three years’ probation.
Judge Byrne told Milne he should not expect another lenient sentence if he breaches his release conditions.
As a New Zealand citizen, Milne is now eligible for deportation due to his convictions and sentence.