Documents explain decision to drop rape case

[DJ1]

If the police really believe in their evidence, they can still press charges regardless of the DPP advice.

This was not the case in Coffs.

 

[ibeme]

Going by the DPP documents the ABC reported on, the evidence had a lot of holes in it. He basically ruled out the chance of a gang rape occurring. Does this mean the police were not thorough enough in looking at the evidence, and overlooked certain things?

 

[DJ1]

QUESTION: What do you say about the credibility of the witness?

JASON BRETON: It's not for the police investigators to judge the credibility of a witness. I mean some witnesses are tested in court in relation to their evidence, some aren't, this one won't be. But it's a dangerous message to send to any young women or male people in Sydney that the police won't vigorously investigate your claims if you're the alleged victim of a sexual assault. We're always going to do that, we're always going to do it to the best of our ability.

And in this case every single procedure - from re-creations to walk-throughs, to DNA, to player interviews, to photographs, to videos, to identification procedures - was conducted. There was nothing, no stone left unturned in this investigation, and to that effect the director has complimented the police on the thoroughness of the investigation.

QUESTION: Would you have done anything differently?

JASON BRETON: No.

QUESTION: Jason, the Police Incident Report said that the girl was anally, vaginaly and orally assaulted without her consent, do you now still believe that?

JASON BRETON: The Police Incident Report isn't a fact sheet and it isn't evidence.

QUESTION: OK, but that's the subject of an internal affairs inquiry at the moment, can you tell me- -

JASON BRETON: I might - you might want to ask- -

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: That is still ongoing and it's improper of me to comment any further. But I can confirm there is an internal investigation underway.

QUESTION: And what about the other inquiry in relation to the girl, the blackmail call, a mystery caller saying that this can all be sorted out for $25,000? The club has confirmed with me that there is an investigation into that and they traced the call. Can you tell me what's happened?

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: There's no dispute that a call was made by the NRL to the Bulldogs. The call is unable to be traced. That was vigorously investigated through call charge records. We believe we know the area the call came from.

QUESTION: Can you say where that is?

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: No, but it's certainly nowhere near where the victim was and that's been fully investigated and ruled out.

QUESTION: Jason, the Bulldogs say they now want the results of the DNA tests, are you going to provide them to them and what do those DNA tests show?

JASON BRETON: Well, the first answer is no, and they'll probably be destroyed in due course now.

QUESTION: So you're not going to provide any results to them?

JASON BRETON: No. That's not a course of action we take in any investigation.

QUESTION: Is the case closed now?

JASON BRETON: Yes, yes.

The thoroughness of the investigation doesn't seem to be an issue but maybe the initial incident report of the accusation is in question as per the internal affairs investigation.

 

[Anonymous]

The documents suggest that while they didn't break the law, the Bulldogs acted beyond the pale, having taken advantage of a disturbed and immature young woman.

LOL, this is the second most ridiculous comment I've heard so far, with everything sullyfan has said still in the lead.

 

[wittyfan]

LOL, this is the second most ridiculous comment I've heard so far, with everything sullyfan has said still in the lead.

That ain't choice, bro!

 

[Anonymous]

ok, that last post goes into the lead, everything else sullyfan has said is bumped back to second.

 

[wittyfan]

Thanks, bro.

 

[Cammo]

Sullyfan, I would love to know what your thoughts are on the Sharks rape allegations from 2 years ago. I believe it was also dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Do you think there is a black cloud over your club, and that "something happened that night" ?

 

[wittyfan]

Sullyfan, I would love to know what your thoughts are on the Sharks rape allegations from 2 years ago. I believe it was also dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Do you think there is a black cloud over your club, and that "something happened that night" ?

There was never enough information available for me to make a firm opinion on that one, but I was very concerned at the time.

 

[Big Artie]

People should also bear in mind, that Aggravated Sexual Assault is subject to trial by jury. I don't think anyone can guarantee that this matter definately would have resulted in a verdict of Not Guilty. Even if the brief of evidence had holes in it bigger than the ones in the Ozone layer, the jury might still have returned a Guilty verdict. Unlikely, but possible.

 

[DJ1]

When the available evidence shows that the opportunity did not exist, witnesses back up the defence statements, DNA was not conclusive and medical evidence is not consistent with the allegation?

Right!

 

[Cammo]

There was never enough information available for me to make a firm opinion on that one, but I was very concerned at the time.

Where is "enough" information this time? Unless you know the police and DPP reports to the letter you don't have any of the information.

If you think the media is supplying the correct information then you only need look as far as their report on the players behaviour at the Plantation Hotel. Not only did the NRL find that the story was false but so did the Hotel Manager.

I can only hope that media reports are not "enough" information for you as they surely do not tell the story.

 

[Dogaholic]

Sullyfan, I would love to know what your thoughts are on the Sharks rape allegations from 2 years ago. I believe it was also dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Do you think there is a black cloud over your club, and that "something happened that night" ?

There was never enough information available for me to make a firm opinion on that one, but I was very concerned at the time.

GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY!!!

:roll:

 

[wittyfan]

There was never enough information available for me to make a firm opinion on that one, but I was very concerned at the time.

Where is "enough" information this time? Unless you know the police and DPP reports to the letter you don't have any of the information.

If you think the media is supplying the correct information then you only need look as far as their report on the players behaviour at the Plantation Hotel. Not only did the NRL find that the story was false but so did the Hotel Manager.

I can only hope that media reports are not "enough" information for you as they surely do not tell the story.

Sure, the media now and then get information wrong, but on the most part they are factual.

 

[Fibroman]

The media should only be there to keep the people informed on current affairs, and to be a watchdog for the Government. Unfortunately the media are turning into spin doctors depending on where their loyalties lie.

 

[Cammo]

Sure, the media now and then get information wrong, but on the most part they are factual.

Watch Media watch on Monday nights on the ABC. You will see how "factual" the media is on most occasions. ie. not often.

I have some stories of my own about medai lies too

 

[wittyfan]

I have some stories of my own about medai lies too

Do share!

 

[Crusader]

So you think it was ok to take advantage of a delusional groupie with no self respect TH?

 

[Cammo]

Do share!

I will share one big one with you. As you know at any high school sometimes two kids will get into a fight. As is the case at most schools everyone else runs over to watch. Once at our high school two idiot kids got into a fight at the bike racks just after school and others in the area ran over to watch.
A reporter for the newspaper just happened to be there at the time and the next day it was on the front page as "Riot at Sydney School". All of a sudden there was a "large number of children involved in the brawl". The children were supposedly violent towards parents picking up their children and also to teachers trying to stop the "riot".
I can tell you that I was there at the time and in no way did it occur as the newspaper stated. It was a standard scuffle that happens between two students that was quickly broken up by one of the science teachers. I know many other students and parents who can back up my story
A number of people who supposed to be guests at the school for speeches and/or concerts etc. cancelled because of the story. I tried to contact the newspaper to tell my side of the story but never received a call back to even listen to what I had to say.

From that point on and because of other similatr situations I have seen, I now have no trust in the media to come up with the "facts" in their stories. It is all sensationlised in order to sell newspapers or get ratings.


As I have said before, I don't in any way think The Bulldogs players acted in a good way in Coffs Harbour. I do think that they should be ashamed for the way some of them acted while representing their club. What I do believe though is that none of their actions were illegal. I do feel for the woman involved as she was most likely treated very poorly and should never have been put in that position, but that does not give someone the right to cry rape if it didn't happen.
If it did happen I do believe their would have been enough medical evidence to prove it. 6 players on one girl would cause extensive injuries that would easily show that the sex was not consensual.

After all that though, I do respect your opinion. Thankfully we live in a country where we all can have our own opinion and I will never "attack" anyone for having an opinion different to mine.

 

[Crusader]

;-) The evidence would be hard to prove also if she had consensual sex with several players, obviously she put herself in a position where she was taken advantage of. There are always two sides to the story, my main point is that we shouldn't condone this type of behaviour (whether it happened in this case or not) in sport or anywhere else for that matter. I think whether it's consensual is irrelevant to the main issue of general behaviour really.