at least The Australian is mentioning this now - good to see the Integrity Unit acting quickly
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...o-for-four-hours/story-fnca0von-1226649509806
Ex-cop grills accused Ben Te'o for four hours
SOUTH Sydney forward Ben Te'o spent nearly four hours with former NSW police officer Alby Taylor and an independent investigator yesterday as the game's integrity unit stepped up its inquiry into allegations of assault of a Brisbane woman last month.
Te'o has strenuously denied allegations he punched the woman at the centre of the game's latest scandal, Katie Lewis, and The Australian understands he reiterated those claims during talks with Taylor, a former chief inspector with 15 years experience in the police force who has been working with the game's integrity unit since March.
Having met Te'o, the integrity unit is expected to conduct further interviews with Brisbane fullback Corey Norman and Newcastle's Darius Boyd soon. Both were present on the night in question, at Norman's home in Brisbane.
The latest developments come as the players' union defended Te'o's right to keep playing. Queensland Cricket was dragged into the saga when one of its players, Chris Lynn, used social media to launch a scathing criticism of Lewis on Wednesday.
Lewis, who made the claims on the Nine Network, said last night she was ready to make a formal complaint to police.
NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle, who has jurisdiction over the newly-formed integrity unit, stressed the game would do everything possible to uncover the truth.
"If you want to change the culture and you sweep things like this under the carpet you will never change anything," Doyle said.
"We have to do any investigations and we have to do it properly. We have to get the facts and, based on the facts, take if from there. He (Te'o) has provided the facts from his point of view. The other people as it happens will provide the facts from their point of view and we will work from there. Obviously this is why we put together the integrity unit. At the moment we are talking about something we don't know the facts about. And we are going through the procedures and doing what we need to do to get to the bottom of it."
Doyle also said the investigators would take a closer look at Lynn's comments, which were made on Twitter.
The tweets, which were removed soon after they were posted on Wednesday night, referred to the woman as "bad news" and claimed she had contributed to one of his friends spending two months in jail.
"It was inappropriate to express my personal view on a forum like Twitter and I apologise whole-heartedly for that to the individual involved," Lynn said in a statement released through Queensland cricket.
"Violence against women is not acceptable and I'm sorry that my words could been seen to condone that."
Doyle indicated Lynn could still play a part in the investigation.
"That's part of their responsibility, to look into any issues that arise," Doyle said. "They will look into what they believe has some substance."
What appears to have no substance is claims the NRL is ropable with South Sydney over its failure to report the incident when it occurred, when the three players went out in Brisbane during the representative weekend.
It is understood the NRL emailed the 16 clubs yesterday to point out it was neither angered or frustrated with Souths because there was no reason to dispute the Rabbitohs' version of events.
Rugby League Players Association chief executive David Garnsey pointed out no charges or formal complaints had been made against Te'o.
"The allegations that have been made are on their face very serious but he's obviously entitled to the presumption of innocence and notwithstanding the seriousness of the allegations, that cannot be ignored," Garnsey said.
