Bulldogs arrive for interviews
March 3, 2004 - 2:05PM
Several Bulldogs players are at the Sydney Police Centre to be interviewed over gang rape allegations.
A number of the club's players have been accused of gang raping a 20-year-old woman at the Pacific Bay resort at Coffs Harbour on February 22 after a National Rugby League pre-season match in the northern NSW city.
No charges have been laid so far.
Four players walked into the Surry Hills centre around 9.15am (AEDT) to be interviewed over the allegations by officers attached to Strike Force McGuigon.
They were accompanied by lawyer Jim Young, who said he was confident the players would be cleared of any wrongdoing.
"The police have been very fair in their investigation, they have provided us with details of the allegation," he told reporters at the centre.
"The Bulldogs management now, and the players, are prepared to assist them with the investigation as much as we can.
"I think that ultimately the players, as we understand it, will be vindicated."
It's understood all the club's players who were in Coffs Harbour at the time of the alleged rape will be interviewed over the next two days.
The first four players interviewed today emerged from the police centre with lawyer Jim Young just after midday (AEDT).
None of the players was willing to talk to the waiting media, and Mr Young merely said there was a long way to go in the interview process.
He said there were still 21 players to be questioned throughout today and tomorrow."We have still got a long way to go, there's 25 (players) police want to see so we'll be back later this afternoon," he told reporters.
When asked if any of the first four players to be interviewed had provided DNA samples to police, Mr Young said: "I'm not permitted at this stage (to comment) while investigations are going on."
And when asked if the players had a choice about submitting to the tests he replied: "Yes."
A total 16 players scheduled to talk to police today.
