A celebrity, a football player, was involved in a crash. The former Australian and Queensland representative delved into the harrowing fiasco in his new book, Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography. The North Queensland Cowboys legend became the first member of the 2004 Bulldogs squad to open up about the incident, doing so in his new book, Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography. Canterbury Bulldogs NRL footballers Adam Perry, Corey Hughes, Glen Hughes, Jamaal Lolesi, Brent Sherwin & Willie Mason accompanied by legal counsel as they arrive at Sydney Police Centre to provide DNA sample as well as submit to questioning as police continue gang rape allegations. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/johnathan-thurston-says-players-gagged-over-rape-allegation/10403466, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, This man advises his clients that elections, rates and mortgages are invalid, Recreational vaping to be banned, all e-cigarettes to be strictly controlled, Qantas names new boss ahead of Alan Joyce's retirement, RBA tipped for rates hold, Treasurer refuses to confirm reported JobSeeker lift for people over 55, but says targeted support in the budget, Selling the furniture and couch surfing: Families forced to make 'impossible' decisions amid fears inflation crisis hitting kids, US updates Russian death toll in Ukraine, Twitter glitch logs users out. "You're under pressure when you're on camera," she laughed. JOHNATHAN Thurston today becomes the first Bulldogs player to give his version of the Coffs Harbour scandal that engulfed the club 14-years ago revealing in an exclusive book extract what he says happened the night a woman claimed she was gang raped by six players. Players preparing for North Coast Bulldogs season. Consensual group sex, a girl sleeping with more than one NRL player at the same time, was not unusual.. She walked up to Mirjana Komazec, Tintor's mom, and hugged her. The others are Roy Asotasi, Hutch Maiava and Matt Utai.After the allegations were first aired the team held a "truth session", where each player spoke and gave his version of events at the hotel and nightclub on the night in question.Some reports have suggested that the tone of that player meeting was that the woman was asking for it. They were also let down by the club.After beating Canberra the night before, players were due at a recovery session in the hotel pool at 8am. He would tally up 29 NRL games across three seasons with the Bulldogs. 'It was devastating for the players, the staff, everyone', The NRL has stood down star player Jack de Belin (pictured with girlfriend Alyce Taylor after a 2018 State of Origin match) from playing while he waits to answer a sexual assault charge. Sullivan set up a meeting in June between the family and Clark County assistant district attorney Eric Bauman, and Sullivan called the meeting productive. They play American football within their respective countries. El Masri engaged his own lawyer as police questioned the players and was the only member of the team to refuse to take a DNA test - a decision he took out of concern for the effect it could have on his reputation. In each of the previous cases, the player did not serve a long sentence in prison. Brent faced up to 20 years in prison, but was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation. Hobbs' incident came almost a year to the day after running back Josh Jacobs was arrested on suspicion of DUI in a single-car crash near the airport. Komazec had seen enough wrecks in the 24/7 freneticism of Las Vegas that he hadn't stopped to wonder whether he knew the person in that charred vehicle in the middle of the road. Ruggs had barely picked up a football in his first two years of high school, but Scott kept urging him to play. 'He's been dead for 130 years and can still satisfy the ladies': Social media goes wild over mystery woman Cancelled? 'We could get on the training paddock and park it away, but the families, they're the ones getting questions, they're getting bombarded, so you feel for them. No cancellations during the first 12 months. A lot of decent people, family people, lost their jobs, El Masri said. I wasn't a part of [the group sex] but certainly we had broken team rules," Thurston said. You'd have to suspect they were told not to wear Bulldogs logos. He wants all the attention to be on Tintor. around the time he started braking. According to Thurstons memoir,Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography, an unnamed woman allegedlyslept with six Bulldogs players at the teams hotel on the Wednesday night. It reminds her of Tina. March 9: Bulldogs CEO Steve Mortimer confirms sponsor Bing Lee has cancelled its agreement with the club, worth around $500,000. I didn't know what to do. 'Our family suffered. A valid active email address and Australian mobile phone number are required for account set up. He said he carried around guilt because he didn't drive him that day. The new policy meant that St George Illawarras Jack de Belin has been stood down indefinitely while he faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault. Manlys Dylan Walker has also been stood down while he faces a domestic violence charge against his partner who has since retracted her initial statements made to police. Ruggs was supposed to drive, but he caught the flu, so Scott rode with four other teenagers, including his longtime friend Darian Adams. Tina drove a 2013 RAV4. Tina's mother cried. Ryan was the Bulldogs' captain when they won the 2004 grand final at the end of an incredibly damaging year for the club that saw a 20-year-old woman accuse players of gang-raping her after a pre-season trial. The Bulldogs are currently second on the NRL ladder after a 38-12 win over the Dragons on Saturday. He had broken two bones in his neck. Johnathan Thurston says Canterbury Bulldogs players could not defend themselves amid gang-rape allegations, Follow our live blog for the latest from the Met Gala, Catch up with The Loop, your quick wrap of this morning's news, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. 'Our family suffered. Thurston, who was not involved with the accuser, shed light on the situation which . "I was just thinking he was somebody who feels sorry and he's going to change something," Komazec said. 'The best part was when we got to where our families and friends were afterwards at the leagues club. Even though theyre serious allegations, everyone involved at the club knew that we were not guilty of anything. In the February of that year, a 20-year-old woman filed a complaint with Coffs Harbour police alleging shed been gang raped by a number of the Bulldogs players at a resort after a pre-season trial. It's official! Subscribe with Google lets you purchase a subscription, using your Google account. Speaking about [the scandal] is quite difficult knowing that my daughters will probably see this when theyre older and having to sit down and explain to them what is my side of this story is going to be tough, he explained. Komazec's family joined them a year later, and they all lived under one roof in Las Vegas for about four years. Canterbury Bulldogs players Sonny Bill Williams and Dennis Scott arrive at the police centre in Surry Hills to have DNA samples. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/bulldogs-players-handed-breach-notices-as-thurston/1977168, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, This man advises his clients that elections, rates and mortgages are invalid, Recreational vaping to be banned, all e-cigarettes to be strictly controlled, Qantas names new boss ahead of Alan Joyce's retirement, RBA tipped for rates hold, Treasurer refuses to confirm reported JobSeeker lift for people over 55, but says targeted support in the budget, Selling the furniture and couch surfing: Families forced to make 'impossible' decisions amid fears inflation crisis hitting kids, US updates Russian death toll in Ukraine, Twitter glitch logs users out. Recently retired NRL great Johnathan Thurston has broken his 14-year silence on the Canterbury Bulldogs Coffs Harbour scandal which threatened to derail his career. Thurston, who was not involved with the accuser, shed light on the situation which threatened to end my career before it even got started. He says Tintor's mom ordered a giant photo of her daughter shortly after her death, and when the family hung it on the wall, their Siberian husky cried and barked for days. Prices after the first 12 months may be varied as per full Terms and Conditions. Young people dressed in black scattered dirt into a hole in the ground and made a sign of the cross. Select the subscription offer youd like to buy, click Subscribe with Google, and you will be directed to complete your purchase using your Google account. Get it all on Foxtel. She heard him yell, "What is this guy doing?" Johnathan Thurstonremained quiet for 14 years. The lead detective on the Coffs Harbour case responded to Pearce on June 16, saying: 'I agree totally with Glen Pearce. "Speaking about it is quite difficult knowing that my daughters will probably see this when they're older and having to sit down and explain to them what is my side of this story is going to be tough.". Thurston said he jumped in a taxi back to the hotel at 5am with a couple of teammates. RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: What do we want? Those claims kicked off a media firestorm that Glen Pearce, one of the lead detectives in the case, says 'falsely tainted' the players and remains 'a stain that won't go away'. Know that they weren't alone. Better late than never! It felt like the public thought we were all guilty even though a charge had not been laid.. Is it a measure of his arrogance and the club's tolerance of it that the headings Born, Height, Weight, Test Matches, Personal Notes all carry the word "unknown" beside them?It certainly seems odd that in these troubled times the Coach's Comments section carries only the words "no current items".STORY SO FAR* February 22: Woman complains she was pack-raped by Bulldogs players* She names six players she said assaulted her* Police and NRL announce investigation* Police question 20 Bulldogs players and ask for DNA samples* One player, Hazem El Masri, refuses to supply DNA. The Director of Public Prosecutions ruled there was insufficient evidence to launch a prosecution. Thurston revealed that he was "shocked and scared" to be interviewed by police in regards to the incident, and explained how his feelings towards the woman involved in the incident had changed over the years. Up and coming Coffs Coast footballers are off to Tamworth for a four-day regional players camp. Ryan and El Masri are not alone in speaking out about how the Coffs Harbour scandal has left its mark on them. It was said to be an initiation rite for new first-graders.Others tried to break into the hotel room of another television worker at 3am after a drinking session.Last year, at the same Coffs Harbour hotel, a 42-year-old woman went with one player to his room and had sex, then woke to find another had initiated sex with her and a third was lining up.Club and police investigations were conducted but no charges laid, the Bulldogs fining the three players involved for breach of the club code.On February 22, Bulldogs players danced on nightclub tables, groped women on the dance floor and sparked a brawl as a result. A 20-year-old woman claimed she had been gang raped by six Bulldogs players at a resort on the NSW mid-north coast. . The scandal saw Bulldogs players accused of sexual assault after a night out in Coffs Harbour in 2004. He was released from the hospital, released from custody on a $150,000 bond and released by the Las Vegas Raiders. Malcolm Noad is announced as the new Bulldogs CEO. Pinzon said it wasn't meant as a knock against the Raiders. Full Digital Access + Weekend Paper Delivery $8 billed every 4 weeks for the first 12 weeks, then $36 billed every 4 weeks. Just a few hours later at midday, news had broken regarding an accusation made against "three and six players" in the early hours of the morning. I wasnt a part of that. Monday to Friday 7:30am 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am 11:30am (AEST), App or digital edition only customer? One of Tintor's friends posted on social media that it was the first funeral she had ever attended. The arrival of youngster Steve Mortimer and veteran Bob McCarthy in 1976 signalled a new beginning at the Canterbury club. The meeting with Gallop and the Bulldogs occurred a few days after news broke of a young woman reporting an alleged rape by up to six players in the pool area of the Coffs Harbour Resort during the 2004 pre-season, which concluded when investigators found insufficient evidence. 'There were cameras everywhere you went. The Anaheim Bullfrogs were a professional inline hockey team based in Anaheim, California.The Bullfrogs played in Roller Hockey International (1993-1997) and Major League Roller Hockey (1998) before returning to Roller Hockey international (1999). I remember being in an airport with the team and everyone was looked at differently a look of, Hang on a sec, is that one of them, could that be one of the guilty guys?. Thurston, who was not involved with the accuser, shed light on the situation which . No charges were ever laid with all the members of the squad cleared of any wrongdoing. Fellow Bulldog, devout Muslim and family man Hazem El Masri broke the NRL's point scoring record that season after also being unfairly engulfed in the drama. So Ruggs ran roughly a mile to Baptist Medical Center South to get to Scott. She wanted to be a nurse, then changed her mind and focused on computers. February 24:Bulldogs players and official have a meeting to address the allegations. She told Pinzon that she never would have imagined all those people would show up that day for Tintor. Bulldogs players handed breach notices as Thurston walks, Follow our live blog for the latest from the Met Gala, Catch up with The Loop, your quick wrap of this morning's news, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. There was little hesitation when deciding what to call him. Authorities say Ruggs tore through Las Vegas' valley west of the Strip at 156 mph in his Corvette Stingray. ', Bulldogs players were photographed wearing T-shirts, shorts and thongs as they arrived at the Sydney Police Centre in Surry Hills to be interviewed by detectives on March 3, 2004. Each payment, once made, is non-refundable, subject to law. I was not involved in any capacity with the woman who made the accusations. By Shayne Bugden For Daily Mail Australia, Published: 15:39 BST, 2 March 2019 | Updated: 20:56 BST, 2 March 2019. He stops at the mural every night on his way home from work just to make sure the flowers, candles and memorials are intact. October 22nd, 2018 7:08 am. "I remember me being on [the interior roof], and Rod was in the middle. The beauty of having a digital subscription or membership is that it travels with you. I want to change something. According to Thurston's account, after spotting the woman at the Plantation Hotel, he and a couple of teammates hopped in a taxi at 5am ahead of the team's 7am recovery session the next day, when the woman allegedly wanted to meet up with members of the Bulldogs squad again. Jerseys; Jackets; T-Shirts; Shorts & Pants; Sweaters; Youth . But despite Pearce and other police warning their superiors - including Detective Chief Inspector Jason Breton, who headed the investigation - that the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to the players' innocence, Pearce says senior police kept 'telling the media a completely different story'. The scandal saw Bulldogs players accused of sexual assault after a night out in Coffs Harbour in 2004. On March 3 players were photographed wearing T-shirts, shorts and thongs as they arrived at the Sydney Police Centre in Surry Hills to be interviewed by detectives. Ruggs' lawyer, David Chesnoff, said his client will not do interviews while the case is ongoing. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. He was charged with multiple felonies, including driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving, and was put on house arrest, with alcohol and location electronic monitoring devices. A few weeks later, Pinzon was loading groceries into her car in the parking lot of La Bonita on South Rainbow Boulevard when a woman in the parking lot approached her. It's been six years since the crash on I-65, and Adams still thinks about Scott every day. Two vastly experienced private investigators who were former detective sergeants - one acting for the Bulldogs and one for the NRL - both reached the same conclusion that the woman was not telling the truth within a similar time frame. No charges were laid against the players after a police investigation found there was insufficient evidence, but any public assumptions of their guilt went uncontested after the club advised its players not to address the incident. See www.couriermail.com.au/subscriptionterms for full details. No cancellations during the first 12 months. If you looked the wrong way, smiled the wrong way you wouldnt wish it upon your worst enemy.. The next time he woke up, Adams was lying in the middle of the road. Ruggs was taken to University Medical Center, where, according to a police report, an officer noticed Ruggs' speech was slurred. In addition to the Coffs scandal, he suffered when he was dropped from his role as an NRL ambassador when he faced a domestic domestic violence charge in 2015 - with the ban lifted when he was found not guilty. 'I remember being in an airport with the team and everyone was looked at differently - a look of, "Hang on a sec, is that one of them, could that be one of the guilty guys?". Tina's mother cried. It is incumbent on all sporting clubs of any code to educate young players that ignoring community standards degrades the brotherly bond sports teams espouse.El Masri and others not involved have a right to feel aggrieved at being let down. ', Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes said in the days after the allegations were raised: 'We've had more front pages than the 9/11 disaster in New York.'.
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