NRL star Tom Starling’s father cried out that police “were killing” his son throughout a large brawl at a Central Coast bar which concerned riot squad officers and several other police.
The Canberra Raiders hooker, 24, and his brothers Jackson, 26, and Josh, 21, fronted Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday over their alleged roles in a violent brawl on the Shady Palms resort on December 5, 2020.
Tom and Jackson have each pleaded not responsible to resisting police within the execution of their responsibility.
Their brother Josh has denied three counts of resisting police and one cost of widespread assault. A fourth man, Jesse Byrne, additionally pleaded not responsible to hindering police.
The violent melee allegedly came about when the Starling brothers had been out with family and friends to have fun a twenty first party on the resort in Avoca Beach.
The court docket heard yesterday the altercation started when a safety guard allegedly known as the Starling matriarch a “f***ing slut” and Josh leapt angrily to her defence.
On Thursday, the court docket heard Tom noticed his brother Josh being detained by safety guards from his vantage level on the venue stage. When he stepped down onto the bottom, he mentioned he was “king hit to the head”.
“I come down onto the floor and my head was shoved forward,” he informed the court docket.
“I copped maybe three, four uppercuts in a short burst and I was driven backwards.”
The Canberra Raiders hooker mentioned he was unable to see who was hitting him as a result of he was masking his face, till he “poked (his) head up” and noticed a police officer was accountable.
CCTV footage performed to the court docket reveals the NRL star being punched within the face repeatedly by a riot officer as a crush of individuals combat round them.
A riot officer will be seen within the footage grabbing Tom and persevering with to hit him within the face whereas he stumbles backwards.
“I knew I gotta keep my head up because I gotta see these blokes coming,” Tom informed the court docket.
“A barrage of punches and elbows come my way and one of them hits me flush and knocks me unconscious.”
As knowledgeable NRL participant, Tom mentioned he was aware of the sensation of being concussed.
Footage from a police digital camera worn by police that night reveals his father cried out in panic that police had been badly hurting his son.
“They’re killing him,” Mr Starling was heard yelling within the footage performed to the court docket.
Police will be heard shouting at partygoers to face again within the footage and suggesting anybody who comes close to might be arrested.
The listening to continues.
