The prosecution in the domestic violence case against Eels star Semi Radradra has withdrawn both charges after an intense morning which involved his former partner being cross-examined.
The court adjourned for lunch a short time ago before the prosecution driopped the case entirely.
An apprehended violence order against Radradra has also been dropped.
It means Radradra will likely be free to continue playing for Parramatta for the rest of 2017 before heading overseas to pursue a French rugby contract.
In February, Ms Ting, the mother of Radradra’s two year old daughter, gave evidence that Radradra had abused her physically, emotionally and financially.
Ms Ting continued to give evidence this morning under intense questioning by Radradra’s defence lawyer Murugan Thangaraj SC.
Ms Ting admitted to sending a text message to a friend saying she wished she had someone to assist her to “heat up the media”.
The text was sent nine days before Ms Ting went to police to make claims of domestic assault against Radradra for the first time.
In further questioning Ms Ting admitted giving an interview to a Sydney Morning Herald journalist about the possibility of Radrara leaving Parramatta days before she went to police and then another interview to the same journalist about the charges, allowing that journalist to break the story.
“You had a plan and part of your strategy was to heat the media,” Mr Thangaraj said.
“Yes sir because at that time I heard a lot of stories from frineds about people putting me down,” Ms Ting said.
She said she had been put in contact with the Herald journalist friend and NRL player manager Mario Tartak - who was also a friend of Radradra’s.
In other evidence, Ms Ting gave said there were conflicts between her and Radradra’s family around issues such as herbal remedies for her baby daughter during a trip to Fiji.
She also said that on one occasion she had used vouchers lying around the house to get to Fiji because Radradra would not pay for her to accompany him and their daughter.
Mr Thangaraj told Ms Ting she resented Radradra’s support of his family, such as buying his parents a house, paying for a car, paying medical bills and school fees for relatives as well as giving them cash when they needed it.
“Because Semi was giving so many people so much money you told the police a number of times he had financial problems,” Mr Thangaraj said.
“Every time Semi came back from Fiji we had financial problems,” Ms Ting agreed.
Earlier, Ms Ting was asked how afraid of Semi Radradra she was after the alleged second assault incident. In evidence previously tendered to the court Ms Ting said she hid in the bathroom but later left to get ice.
“Because he had called the pastor ... he had already punched me,” Ms Ting said.
Mr Thangaraj also raised questions about the state of the phone that was thrown against the wall before moving on to quiz Ms Ting about the third charge of assault and whether she was sitting or standing when she was allegedly pushed.
Mr Thangaraj said that Ms Ting’s evidence in February that she had been pinned against a wall had not been mentioned in interviews with police. He asked her if she had been told to give that evidence.
“Did someone tell you to say that,” Mr Thangaraj asked
“No sir, I thought being pinned against the wall means pushed,” Ms Ting replied.
Mr Thangaraj then moved on to financial questions, linking Ms Ting’s texts to Radradra threatening to go to police to questions around Radradra’s support of her.
“You told the club that if you did not get more money form Semi you would have to do something,” Mr Thangaraj said.
“I was not asking for more money just what he was supposed to pay ... the $300 not $250,” Ms Ting said.
“To do something, yes, to get the child support,” she said after further questioning.
Manager says assaults charges taken toll on @SemiRadradra - confirms if he hadn't been charged he would have said no French rugby @9NewsSyd
— Damian Ryan (@DamoNews) May 2, 2017
Replies
That doesn't sound right part way through a hearing. It is more likely the Magistrate has dismissed the matter, as opposed to the Police withdrawing the charges. We will hear more this afternoon.
Bench that the case was weak!!!!
Close the case and beak dismisses it
She was already in process of giving evidence so a 'payout' seems highly unlikely to have happened (and highly illegal)
From reading news her evidence lacked all credibility and the police realised the case had fallen in a heap. Magistrate would have likely suggested they take a particular course after discussions
Assault - burden of proof is beyond reasonable doubt.
Domestic violence application - burden of proof is balance of probability.
The prosecution couldn't even get to bstance of probability - shows you the case was piss weak.
Without getting into a legal fight with you let me clear up some points...
Wrong twice???
Assault IS a crime
Application for an AVO is a civil process with different burdens of proof.
1. It IS the investigators responsibilty to ensure that there is a Prima face case. This requires the investigator to test the veracity of the evidence presented to them PRIOR to putting the matter before the court. It's called - conducting a thorough investigation.
"police do not go out of their way to discredit Prima facie evidence given to them " ... Do you realise how stupid that sounds? .... It's only evidence once it's given in a court of law - prior to that it's a statement given by a potential witness that requires... Investigation.
2. Agree that once a Prima facie case is established.. A court should decide.
3. I've got no idea what you are rambling about with the independence of the prosecutors.. It's a given.
4. Ahhh finally - the meat..
My point is that there ARE certain police who grandstand. Semi could quite easily have been asked to come to the police station instead of the very public display of meeting him at the airport with the media in tow.
Police ARE hamstrung in their efforts to effectively investigate domestic violence matters due to the public stigma of the crime.
A lot of the time, investigators know that the complaints are fictitious but are pressed by their superiors to just let the court decide thus handing the poor defendant a harrowing time of financial and reputational damage which can't be reclaimed.
Ah.. Your last paragraph..
I never said the police were unethical, incompetent it something similar but if I were Semi, I would be examining the checks and balances to ascertain exactly when there was sufficient evidence to place this matter before a court and why a withdrawal was made only after sufficient reputational damage was inflicted-not before.
(the prosecution COULD have examined the case at an earlier time and advised him that it had no merit) or maybe they thought it did have merit but the learned magistrate was able to set them right.
Thanks for your opinion on my understanding of the judicial process.
.... I'm OK and it pays the bills.
Just because it comes out in cross doesn't mean it's new information to each party.
A half decent investigator would have asked the eels if they had any interaction with her or any information to add. Bernie would have freely given the information to the prosecution.
So if ...and only if - it was a shock to the prosecution - then they were incompetent.
My feeling is that they were well versed in all the evidence but again... Are pressured by various groups to prosecute.
I would assume the defence would have made the prosecution aware of the interaction between the club and the aggrieved and pointed out that this interaction significantly weakened the prosecution case.
Thats why I find it very hard to believe in Big Dave's contention that this exposure was completely left field.
It's always better to agree on a course of understanding prior to the case than go through a trial. Better for everyone.
Anyway... I've had my say and Big Dave has had his.
I'm not here to get into a full blown argument about legal interpretations.
Let's talk footy!!!!!!!
I agree Fathead but I bet my bottom dollar the Prosecution were willing to go forward due to fear of the usual Feminazi's kicking up a stink. I hope Clementine Ford and her ilk realise Kents like Semi's ex does their cause serious harm.
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