Raiders dummy-half Tom Starling has spoken out after two cops had been charged with assaulting the NRL star and his two brothers in a Central Coast pub three years in the past.
Tom, Josh and Jackson Starling had been all initially charged following a wild brawl at Shady Palms Hotel in December 2020, and after the three maintained their innocence for over two years, these fees weren’t dropped till February final yr.
This week, after a 11-day listening to, a 49-year-old male senior constable and a 37-year-old male sergeant had been each charged with widespread assault after CCTV footage of the incident was performed in court docket exhibiting the NRL participant being repeatedly punched within the face.
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In a column Starling penned for the SMH, the 25-year-old detailed the “physical, financial and emotional burden” he and his household had been positioned underneath due to the false chargers.
He additionally believes that if it wasn’t for the CCTV footage, he “would be behind bars right now”.
“That’s the reason I’m penning this column and why I’ve been so vocal about my situation,” Starling wrote in his column.
“As an NRL player, I have the means to defend myself and a platform to speak out about the way my brothers and I were allegedly assaulted by the police.
“However, some victims haven’t got those opportunities. I want to be their voice.
“I can assure you it’s a daunting task trying to clear your name when you go up against the NSW Police Force, with its endless money and resources. That’s to say nothing about the physical, financial and emotional burden you are put under in this situation.
“My family was able to stump up the large amount of money required to get me and my brothers through.
“It has still been financially devastating, and the police have declined to reimburse us our legal costs. Hopefully, as a matter of fairness, they will revisit that decision given that officers have been charged.”
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The Starling’s lawyer Paul McGirr instructed the SMH that the household can be looking for damages (as much as $1 million) in a civil case in opposition to NSW Police.
“It’s significant, and it’s not outside the realms for it to be hundreds of thousands of dollars per plaintiff. The family could be looking at a sum up to $1 million,” McGirr stated.
“The delay and lack of information have only added to the burden of the pain and suffering that they’ve had hanging over their heads.”
Starling additionally touched on having to cope with the destructive public opinion of him throughout the arduous ordeal.
“The headlines I’ve had to endure have been horrific. One of the allegations splashed all over the media was that I grabbed a police officer’s gun. When I heard about it, I was in shock, I wondered what was going on,” he wrote.
“I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky guy, someone who wants to be liked by everyone. And then it’s put out in the public domain that I’ve pulled out a police officer’s gun, when all I’m doing is celebrating at the 21st birthday party of one of my best mates with my family, at a venue that has kids and elderly people.
“To have that plastered all over the media was pretty scary. It has also taken a massive toll on my family. Only now are the police beginning to be held accountable.”
Despite the costs, the Raiders and coach Ricky Stuart stood by Starling by means of the ordeal, believing their participant’s model of occasions.
“I’m in a very fortunate position that I’m at a club that cares deeply about its players,” Starling wrote.
“Everyone from the coach to the CEO to the board and players have had my back.
“I’m also proud that my family has maintained its dignity the whole way through and shown great resilience.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for their support through this whole ordeal.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
