More mud slung in Stewart controversy
Dylan Welch Police Reporter | March 14, 2009
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...art-controversy/2009/03/13/1236919566435.html
EVEN moving house has become an exercise in mud slinging in the Brett Stewart controversy, with sources close to the stood-aside footballer saying the family of his alleged victim did not choose to leave but were evicted from their townhouse.
The claim comes as it is revealed that Stewart's manager, George Mimis, is a friend of and lives at the same property as Philip Mudge, the landlord of the townhouse complex where the alleged attack occurred.
Two conflicting versions of why the family are leaving are being investigated by police. Mr Mimis says the family has been evicted because of two bad cheques. But the father of the family says they are leaving of their own volition because of threats from fans.
Mr Mudge, a retired surveyor, developed the complex in North Manly where both Stewart and the family of his 17-year-old alleged victim were living.
Property documents state he owns all 13 townhouses, which are each worth more than $1 million.
He is also a friend of Mr Mimis, who has dabbled in property development. Mr Mimis lives in the same house - divided into two residences - as Mr Mudge. He bought his second-floor home from the developer in 1998 for $910,000.
Mr Mudge, who is recovering from a hip replacement, could not be contacted yesterday.
Mr Mimis, who manages some of the code's most well-known players, acknowledged the connection but yesterday said there was nothing untoward about his involvement with the man who is now said to be evicting the family of his client's alleged victim.
"I live above him; we're friends. There's nothing wrong with that," he said.
The family's eviction had nothing to do with his relationship with Mr Mudge, and was about unpaid rent, he said.
Rumours were being circulated yesterday by several sources close to Stewart that the father of the 17-year-old had given two cheques for rent and bond that had failed to clear. Mr Mudge had then decided to evict the family, the sources said.
The father said that was not the case, and the family was leaving because of threatening phone calls from Manly fans and because of media scrutiny.
"I spoke to the agent today to break our lease and he's completely OK with it. [The allegations of bad cheques are] untrue.
"If your daughter had been assaulted and that creep is living two doors up from you and you've been getting [calls from] the fans and all that, what are you going to do? Go outside and have a barbecue?"
The father also said he was not concerned about people spreading gossip about him, including his past criminal conviction on fraud-related charges.
"Let them say whatever they want. Everyone wants to portray me as the biggest bastard and I'm OK with that. That doesn't change what happened to my daughter."
