Police officers involved in a scuffle during an arrest in 2020 of Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling, are now under investigation.
Key points:
- NSW Police are investigating an incident involving NRL hooker Tom Starling that left him with facial injuries
- Starling was originally charged with assaulting police officers but all charges have since been dropped
- Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart says he applauds the decision for an investigation
Starling, who received facial injuries in the arrest, was initially charged with seven offences, including attempting to take a police officer’s gun, during the incident allegedly involving Starling and his two brothers.
A police officer was left with a cut to his hand while allegedly intervening in a fight involving Starling, 22, and his two brothers in 2020.
In January last year, all the charges relating to the incident against him were dropped except for one: hindering an officer.
In February of this year, the final charge against Starling was dismissed after a magistrate said police breached their duty when they “assaulted” him.
In a statement issued today, NSW Police confirmed they were “continuing to conduct inquiries in relation to the conduct of officers” who responded to the incident.
‘Tom being assaulted himself’: magistrate
Previously, the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney was shown CCTV footage of police punching Starling in the face multiple times, a scene Magistrate Covington at the time called a “free for all”.
“One that is more typically seen in a street fight as opposed to officers in their duty,” he said.
“Clearly what occurred was nothing other than Tom being assaulted himself.”
Magistrate Covington also said Senior Constable Daniel Drew admitted to the court that he had “no reason to punch” Starling.
Today, Tom Starling’s mother, Joanne, spoke to Radio 2GB about the incident that she said had turned her family’s lives upside down.
“I was there and I witnessed the majority of it and to see that on the front page of the news was just devastating,” she said.
Joanne told the radio station it had been a “tough few years” not just for her but for her extended family and friends who she said had stood by her.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart also told Radio 2GB he applauded the decision to investigate the officers’ actions.
“When I heard the allegation about Tommy going for a policeman’s gun, that obviously frightened me,” the coach said.
“That was the first question I asked ‘Did you do it?’. And I didn’t ask him again because he’s not a kid to lie to me and I supported him from here on in.”