Former NRL star Curtis Scott has appealed after he was found guilty of a series of terrifying assaults on his ex-partner that included threatening to kill her.
The former Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders player was convicted of multiple charges last year and sentenced to 12 months community service.
The 25-year-old was found guilty after a hearing on three charges, including assault with bodily harm, in connection with assaults on his former partner Tay-Leiha Clark.
In issuing his verdict, Magistrate Daniel Covington ruled that the former NRL star assaulted Ms Clark during an altercation at her parents’ house in Sylvania.
The attack caused injuries to Mrs. Clark’s head, forearm, and wrist.
Scott’s lawyer (pictured outside court Monday) tried to cast doubt on the evidence of the ex-girlfriend he was convicted of assault
Scott’s ex-girlfriend Tay Leiha-Clark (pictured) posted pictures of herself on Instagram following an incident where she reportedly suffered injuries to her hand and arm
He also discovered that while on holiday at Lake Conjola on the south coast of NSW, Scott attacked Mrs. Clark and knocked her to the ground.
Scott was also found guilty of a further verbal altercation in which Scott threatened to kill Mrs. Clark and himself. The court heard earlier that Scott then deliberately drove his car into a tree.
Scott was found not guilty of other charges, including strangling Ms Clark during an altercation on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final.
At an appeal hearing at Sydney Downing Center District Court on Monday, Scott’s lawyer Slade Howell sought to cast doubt on Ms Clark’s evidence on the allegations.
Mr Howell told the court that Ms Clark had not alleged that Scott had been violent in her initial statement to police, which he said was contradicted in later statements to officers and evidence given in court.
Ms Clark claimed that despite telling the court she had carefully read the statement – which the court heard was aimed at securing an AVO, allegations of violence were largely missing.
Ms Clark told the court at the original hearing that the allegations were absent, despite telling the officer involved in the interview – claims that Mr Howell disputed.
Of particular note on Monday was a violent incident at the home of Sylvania, Ms Clark’s parents, in which she was reportedly found in juries on her knuckles, elbow and forearm.
The judge hearing Scott’s appeal said Leiha-Clark (pictured) could have digitally altered the Instagram images to hide “cuts or bruises”
Mr Howell showed Judge Alister Abadee two images submitted at trial, allegedly taken from Ms Clark’s Instagram account in the days and weeks following the alleged incident.
He claimed that the footage did not show any injuries as described by Ms Clark, although it was determined at trial that one photograph had actually been taken before the incident.
In response, Judge Abadee said it was possible — though not discussed at the original hearing — that the images may have been digitally altered before they were posted.
“Is it possible the photos were spray painted before they went to Instagram,” he said.
“People on Instagram are trying to portray a glamorous existence.
“They wouldn’t want to show (a photo) with cuts or bruises, especially if they’re wearing an athletic top.
The lawyer representing Scott (pictured playing for Canberra in 2021) told the court Clark failed to reveal alleged abuse when she spoke to a member of the NRL’s ethics committee
“It wouldn’t be consistent with what they’re trying to portray.”
In response, Mr. Howell said that Ms. Clark had not made any allegations to that effect during cross-examination.
The court was also told it was possible the injuries had healed before the photo was taken.
Similarly, Judge Abadee questioned Mr Howell’s claims that Ms Clark had not disclosed abuse in an interview with a representative of the NRL’s Ethics Committee, Karen Murphy.
Ms Murphy previously testified that she was not told of allegations of physical abuse or strangulation.
Ms Clark stated at the original hearing that she disclosed the alleged abuse.
“Is it possible that the complainant felt free to explain everything that happened,” said Judge Abadee.
“Perhaps Mrs. Clark could have been more reserved in her discussions with the NRL ethics committee.”
At the hearing, Howell also questioned the memory of Ms Clark’s mother, father and cousin, after an earlier version of police documents contained the wrong date.
He also questioned allegations made by Ms Clark that had not been relied upon at the original hearing that she had been a victim of late-night abuse while visiting Scott in Melbourne.
The Raiders terminated Scott’s contract in August 2021 after he was convicted
Mr Howell recalled hearing evidence from Scott’s roommates and teammates, including Scott Drinkwater sharing a wall with Scott in the Melbourne apartment.
Mr Drinkwater told the court he had not heard the abuse described by Ms Clark – including her cries for help – and recalled only a single allegedly abusive incident known as the ‘Uber’ incident.
In response, Judge Abadee said, “Is it possible that your client was someone who was aware of the presence of other people in his four-bedroom house?”
“That might explain why he wasn’t violent towards the prosecution?”
The hearing continues.