NRL star Paul Carter is behind bars accused of ignoring court orders after he was convicted of domestic violence

EXCLUSIVE

One-time NRL rising star Paul Carter is behind bars after allegedly failing to begin a court-ordered community service order for domestic violence crimes.

The serial offender was spared jail last December after admitting to spitting in his ex-girlfriend’s face three times during an alcohol-fueled night of chaos.

Carter – who was sacked by three clubs during his playing career – had been given a community corrections order, rather than being locked up.

But police allege Carter violated these orders by not attempting to complete the 140 hours of community service he was ordered to perform.

The 31-year-old, whose father Steve Carter is the Penrith Panthers premiership winner, was due to appear in Sydney’s Waverley Local Court on Tuesday but failed to show up.

Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge issued an arrest warrant after hearing that Carter had allegedly failed to attend three community service appointments.

Carter was arrested on Wednesday and brought back before Mrs Milledge, who refused him bail and ordered him to return to court on Friday.

Ms Milledge said on Tuesday that despite Carter telling another magistrate in March he would be reporting for community service, he had not yet signed up to complete any of the 140 hours.

“Not even an hour,” she said, before issuing a warrant for Carter’s arrest.

Carter had been arrested in August 2022, two days after attacking his former partner at his parents’ home in Moonee Beach, near Coffs Harbor on the N.S.W mid-north coast.

While being detained, the footballer verbally abused police officers, using the bizarre derogatory terms ‘f***ot Fingers B***h’, ‘melon-headed ****’ and ‘devon-head b***h ‘ used. .

Carter, who was fired by the Roosters, Titans and Rabbitohs, pleaded guilty in November to domestic violence, breaching a restraining order and resisting or obstructing police.

Waverley Local Court heard Carter, his current partner and his ex-girlfriend had gone to Moonee Beach for a family baptism at the time of the attack in July 2022.

During the meeting, the victim heard Carter and his father make a series of derogatory comments about another family member’s drinking habits, court papers show.

Carter, who played lock, hooker and second-row at his various clubs, was confronted by his ex-girlfriend and a A “verbal and physical altercation” ensued.

Court documents showed Carter was “enraged” and said words to the effect of “you’re fucking.” [or] c***’ and spit in the victim’s face approximately three times.

He then caused bruising by holding the woman’s hand with ‘considerable force’ and pushed her head, causing further bruising and swelling.

The victim left the Moonee Beach residence the next morning with a child she shares with Carter, before reporting the incident to police a day later.

Police took photos of her injuries, which “remained quite striking.”

On the same evening, police attended Carter’s home in Randwick in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, where his current partner answered the door.

Police heard Carter yell and he became aggressive when they told him he was under arrest.

One officer was injured when police tried to handcuff the retired player.

When the case went to trial, Magistrate Ross Hudson arrived noted that Carter had been on bail for approximately 16 months and had committed no crimes while at large.

Mr Hudson also noted that ‘spitting on someone is an absolutely disgusting act’.

The court heard Carter had a job in excavations and previously had an alcohol problem.

“I am of the view… that there are good reasons… not to impose a custodial sentence,” Mr Hudson said, stressing that domestic violence “will not be tolerated”.

Carter was convicted of each offense and given a 12-month community corrections order for resisting police.

He was given a two-year community order for the AVO offense and for the common assault and was ordered to complete 140 hours of community service.

Carter, who played 40 NRL games in four seasons from 2014 to 2017, has had repeated brushes with the law over the past decade.

In 2018, Carter was given a two-year good behavior bail after pleading guilty to supplying cocaine to ex-Sydney Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall at Sydney’s Ivy nightclub last year.

When Carter was on the Titans’ books in 2014, he was fired after two drunk driving charges in six months.