Chris Houston cleared of drug charges

[Noname36]

I hope he stays at the Knights, but I am a bit curious if they can afford him. I believe they turned down Timana Tahu because they couldn't afford him (or at least that is what the papers said) and you would think Houston commands more money than Tahu.

Strange, but I am sure (and hopeful) he will remain at the Knights.

I'm not sure if the Knights actually said they couldn't afford Tahu, or they weren't interested because they didn't want to pay that much for another back when they were set in that area. Houston was missed so badly by the Knights this year that they need to offer him a contract. Tahu on the other hand isn't needed. In terms of the actual squad, Tahu doesn't really improve it all that much, but Houston could make a world of difference (which is strange considering the profile of both players).

And also, considering the money Tahu was rumored to be on at Parra, the Knights probably couldn't afford him if he were after the same kind of contract.

 

[Inferno]

Personally I'd like to see the police pay for the year Houston has lost in his career.

Agreed, everyone who is found not guilty should be compensated by the police:roll:

 

[Big Pete]

Good to hear, let him boost the Knights and strengthen our competition!

Costigan, Taia, Houston, Hilder and Paterson and a plethora of rookies, not a bad backrow, then again just about every backrow in the NRL is good.

 

[Ulysseus]

Agreed, everyone who is found not guilty should be compensated by the police:roll:

Well it might stop them booking people erratically for driving infractions at least.

 

[badav]

Personally I'd like to see the police pay for the year Houston has lost in his career.

We should have blokes with your intelligence running our country. Why don't we get them to write out a cheque to Greg Bird while we are at it dufus.

 

[perverse]

Good to hear, let him boost the Knights and strengthen our competition!

Costigan, Taia, Houston, Hilder and Paterson and a plethora of rookies, not a bad backrow, then again just about every backrow in the NRL is good.

personally i expect one of Houston and Costigan to wind up in the front row, i'd probably have them both there myself. i'm also expecting Kyle O'Donnell to feature at some stage for sure... and possibly even Ethan Cook.

i think everyone will look at us a little more seriously with Houston and Costigan added to our pack vs last year... even with Cross exiting.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Personally I'd like to see the police pay for the year Houston has lost in his career.

Wow. Getting in late with the stupid comment of the year so it is fresh everybodies mind when it's time to vote, well done.

 

[Slackboy72]

Wow. Getting in late with the stupid comment of the year so it is fresh everybodies mind when it's time to vote, well done.

Well consider that Houston has 10 years for his playing career.
Now consider that he was charged on the basis of some incredibly vague comments recorded on his phone that police 'believe' could have been 'secret code' for dealing drugs.
So they found no drugs they could link to him.
They had no real evidence of him dealing drugs.

They charged him because he lived with Wicks and he had an odd conversation on the phone.

Meanwhile Houston is left with a reputation in tatters, loses a year of his career and has run down his savings defending his name from a charge that should never have been made.

 

[muzby]

Well consider that Houston has 10 years for his playing career.
Now consider that he was charged on the basis of some incredibly vague comments recorded on his phone that police 'believe' could have been 'secret code' for dealing drugs.
So they found no drugs they could link to him.
They had no real evidence of him dealing drugs.

They charged him because he lived with Wicks and he had an odd conversation on the phone.

Meanwhile Houston is left with a reputation in tatters, loses a year of his career and has run down his savings defending his name from a charge that should never have been made.

in fairness, if what wicks is alleged to have done is indeed proven true, then as wicks' housemate, houston would surely have some idea what was going on.. an operation of the scale alleged would be noticed by anyone close to him.. so even tho not guilty, there will always be a cloud over him..

 

[Slackboy72]

in fairness, if what wicks is alleged to have done is indeed proven true, then as wicks' housemate, houston would surely have some idea what was going on.. an operation of the scale alleged would be noticed by anyone close to him.. so even tho not guilty, there will always be a cloud over him..

That's completely circumstantial though. You can't convict someone on that basis and that's what Truscott said in her summary.
So first Stefanovski goes free on lack of evidence, now Houston.
The DPP and the police just didn't do their job properly. It just looks like they charged them so they could show something came from their investigation.

 

[muzby]

just because someone gets off, doesn't always mean they didn't do it..

and because of that fact, you can't pay out everyone who gets off...

 

[Slackboy72]

just because someone gets off, doesn't always mean they didn't do it..

and because of that fact, you can't pay out everyone who gets off...

And not everyone who gets charged is guilty yet they have to bear the huge cost of being charged.
The issue is he was charged and put through the wringer on the flimsiest of 'evidence'.
It's not as though the NSW police force are complete cleanskins in this regard.

 

[muzby]

being a high profile case, they wouldn't just charge someone like that if they thought he was innocent...

the boy spent $100k in legal fees, so he's most likely bought some decent talent, which could also explain why the evidence was exposed as "flimsy"..

where that would have happened if he'd hired lionel hutz instead is a question we will never know the answer to...

 

[macavity]

being a high profile case, they wouldn't just charge someone like that if they thought he was innocent...

bulldust.

coppers are always trying to make a name for themselves.

 

[Slackboy72]

being a high profile case, they wouldn't just charge someone like that if they thought he was innocent...

the boy spent $100k in legal fees, so he's most likely bought some decent talent, which could also explain why the evidence was exposed as "flimsy"..

where that would have happened if he'd hired lionel hutz instead is a question we will never know the answer to...

Look I'm sure they were convinced but if all you can come up with is he lived with Danny Wicks and he once said "150 at 14" then you don't have a case.
Where were the actual drugs? Where was the evidence of a transaction? Nowhere, yet they still dragged him through court based on that comment. That's blatantly irresponsible in my book.

 

[Doga]

And not everyone who gets charged is guilty yet they have to bear the huge cost of being charged.
The issue is he was charged and put through the wringer on the flimsiest of 'evidence'.
It's not as though the NSW police force are complete cleanskins in this regard.

You can ask the Dogs players about that one. Mud sticks

 

[badav]

bulldust.

coppers are always trying to make a name for themselves.

Personally i think its a conspiracy involving the police, danny wicks and news limited.

 

[Kiki]

im glad he got off, ive always liked him.

 

[Big Pete]

personally i expect one of Houston and Costigan to wind up in the front row, i'd probably have them both there myself. i'm also expecting Kyle O'Donnell to feature at some stage for sure... and possibly even Ethan Cook.

i think everyone will look at us a little more seriously with Houston and Costigan added to our pack vs last year... even with Cross exiting.

Costigan maybe, in all honesty, I wish you guys had the front row to allow some of your backrows to shine, because boy a guy like Costigan has a ton of untapped potential.

Also those are the exact same rookies I was thinking of, especially Cook.

2011 is going to be Newcastle's most productive season in a long time, probably since 2007 and hopefully it leads to something exciting in 2012-13.

 

[Usain Bolt]

OJ Simpson was innocent too