Tom Starling, a hooker for the Canberra Raiders, was arrested in 2020, and the police officers involved are currently the subject of an investigation.
Starling was initially charged with seven offenses, including attempting to grab a police officer’s gun during the encounter. Starling suffered face injuries during the arrest.
In 2020, while reportedly breaking up a fight between Starling, 22, and his two brothers, a police officer suffered a cut to his hand.
All charges against him in connection with the event were dropped in January of last year, with the exception of one: obstructing an officer.
The last case against Starling was dropped in February of this year after a court ruled that police violated their obligations when they “assaulted” him.
NSW Police stated they were “continuing to conduct inquiries in relation to the conduct of officers” who responded to the incident in a statement released today.
The Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney had already seen CCTV evidence of police repeatedly striking Starling in the face, which Magistrate Covington had referred to as a “free for all” at the time.
There was no other way to explain what happened besides Tom assaulting himself.
Senior Constable Daniel Drew acknowledged to the court that he had “no reason to punch” Starling, according to Magistrate Covington.
Joanne Starling, Tom Starling’s mother, spoke to Radio 2GB about the incident today and described how it had upended her family’s lives.
I was there, I saw the majority of it, and it was absolutely awful to see that on the main page of the news, she added.
In addition to herself, Joanne told the radio station that it had been a “tough few years” for her extended family and friends, who she said had supported her.
Ricky Stuart, the Raiders’ head coach, expressed his support for the decision to look into the cops’ behavior on Radio 2GB.
“‘Did you do it?’ was the first thing I questioned. He’s not a kid to lie to me, so I didn’t ask him again, and I stood by him moving forward.
