Breaking: Assault charges against Radradra withdrawn

[I Bleed Maroon]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/

No actual article to link to but ABC have it in their breaking news headline as I'm looking at it.

 

[myrrh ken]

Extraordinary. Race him back into the test team Mal!

Or maybe for Feej?

NRL star Semi Radradra faces court on domestic violence charges
CHRIS HOOK, The Daily Telegraph
4 minutes ago
THE prosecution in the domestic violence case against Eels star Semi Radradra has withdrawn both charges after an intense morning which involved his former partner being cross-examined.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 dropped 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.

Radradra’s former partner Perina Ting has given evidence against the Eels star. Picture: Peter Kelly
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 friends 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.

Semi Radradra in action for the Eels at the weekend.
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.

Semi Radradra arriving at Parramatta Court this morning. Picture: Peter Kelly
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 from 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.

 

[Twizzle]

NRL star Semi Radradra has assault charges dropped by prosecutors
By Jennifer Browning
Updated 12 minutes ago

PHOTO: Charges against Parramatta Eels star Semi Radradra were dropped. (AAP: Dean Lewins)
MAP: Sydney 2000Learn more about these numbers.Share

Prosecutors have withdrawn two assault charges against Parramatta Eels NRL star Semi Radradra, meaning he is free to play in the NRL.

Radradra had been charged with two counts of common assault against his ex-girlfriend Perina Ting in November 2014.

He pleaded not guilty.

In February this year, Ms Ting told a court Radradra punched her in the face and then confessed to their pastor.

The second charge against Radradra related to an allegation the rugby league player pushed Ms Ting against a wall and knocked her unconscious on another occasion.

In court today, Radradra's barrister Murugan Thangaraj SC asked Ms Ting about a text message she is alleged to have sent to the player on June 16, 2016, which said she would go to the police and media if he did not pay outstanding child support.

Three days later, the court heard she sent a text to a friend which stated: "I wish I know (sic) someone with experience in this so that I can heat up the media."

Mr Thangaraj then put to Ms Ting: "So you had a plan to use the media against Semi?"

She replied: "No sir."

After seeking a short break, prosecutors withdrew both charges and an AVO was also dismissed.

Radradra can continue playing in the NRL.

It was confirmed in January Radradra will leave Parramatta after the 2017 season to play for French rugby union side Toulon.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-...rges-against-nrl-player-semi-radradra/8489692

 

[Canard]

Someting wong with all of this.

 

[LineBall]

So, she changed her mind? He got off on a technicality? She was pressured into changing her story? She embellished the whole thing?

Or, the prosecution, after hearing her under cross examination, decided that her evidence as a witness gave them little chance of a successful conviction?

 

[herbert henry1908]

So, she changed her mind? He got off on a technicality? She was pressured into changing her story? She embellished the whole thing?

Or, the prosecution, after hearing her under cross examination, decided that her evidence as a witness gave them little chance of a successful conviction?

Option B.

Charges were withdrawn after she admitted going to the media before the police in order to "heat the media up"

 

[Twizzle]

yeh, the second one, prosecution dropped the case

see the articles above

 

[Incorrect]

Someting wong with all of this.

Exactly.

Greenburg and Meninga should issue a public apology and call him in to the Kangaroo team ASAP.

 

[Paullyboy]

So is he saying he didn't hit her? Or is he (his lawyers) arguing that she didn't follow the correct process?

 

[Life's Good]

Exactly.

Greenburg and Meninga should issue a public apology and call him in to the Kangaroo team ASAP.

I thought Meninga put the kibosh on him for signing up to yawnion??

 

[OzDragon]

Exactly.

Greenburg and Meninga should issue a public apology and call him in to the Kangaroo team ASAP.

I miss the good old days where you played for the country you were born in.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

Watch the media give this about 5 minutes of lip service then forget it ever happened because now there's no scandal

 

[Incorrect]

I thought Meninga put the kibosh on him for signing up to yawnion??

Ah who cares.... I don't....

 

[colly]

On the assault bit, glad to see Semi got off, from heating up the media, anyone seen this assault.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-esteve-toulouse-benjamin-casty-a7707146.html

 

[herbert henry1908]

So is he saying he didn't hit her? Or is he (his lawyers) arguing that she didn't follow the correct process?

He's always denied hitting her.

It was thrown out because evidence heard today made it look like the complainant was trying to manipulate the media.

 

[RazorRam0n]

damn

a conviction could of meant that he stayed

 

[Life's Good]

damn

a conviction could of meant that he stayed

And play for the Long Bay Pirates maybe??

 

[RazorRam0n]

And play for the Long Bay Pirates maybe??

for the rest of the season maybe

 

[Bronco18]

So is he saying he didn't hit her? Or is he (his lawyers) arguing that she didn't follow the correct process?

Her credibility as a witness is taken down a peg or two through wanting to "heat up the media" and then denying it in cross examination despite the text being presented as evidence.

That's pretty critical in a domestic violence case where much of the evidence is "he said" vs "she said".

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Semi seems similar to some African guys I know. They give all their money to their relatives who basically live off them for life, and then run out of money for their own kids/wife. Sad.