https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...k=2fdb1383eff181fe45dac578ab1fe4a8-1512217155
Ex-Bronco Steven Michaels devastated by Karmichael Hunt’s drug claims
Jeremy Pierce, The Sunday Mail (Qld)
in 2 hours
STAR footballer Karmichael Hunt has been accused of betraying one of his best mates to the Crime and Corruption Commission over the cocaine scandal which rocked Queensland sport.
Steve Michaels, a close friend and former teammate, is facing 10 counts of supplying cocaine, but has vowed to fight the charges, denying claims made by Hunt to investigators.
It is almost three years since Hunt, Michaels and almost a dozen other Queensland football stars were embroiled in the CCC investigation into a coke cartel operating across two states.
Hunt named his former Brisbane Broncos teammate in a 12-page dossier detailing allegations against some of the cartel’s chief players.
Michaels, who has just finished a stint in the English Super League, was charged as soon as he returned to Australia last month.
His Gold Coast defence lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, told
The Sunday Mail Michaels was devastated by the allegations made in Hunt’s statement and the end of a decade-long friendship.
“He is extremely disappointed that a person who he considered to be one of his closest friends would do this,” he said.
“He strongly disagrees with the allegations (put forward by Hunt) and he will be disputing any allegations Karmichael has made.”
Hunt could be called as a Supreme Court witness to be grilled over his statement while lawyers for accused drug trafficker John Touma — identified as ‘Leather’ in Hunt’s statement to investigators — have also indicated they would seek to cross-examine the Wallabies rugby union star if that case proceeds to a trial next year.
In his detailed statement, which named almost a dozen professional footballers and former players, Hunt said he was introduced to ‘Leather’ by Michaels.
“While I was at the Broncos I was aware that Steven used cocaine on occasion,” he wrote.
He said Michaels served as a go-between to deliver drugs before the now infamous 2014 end-of-season trip for the Gold Coast Suns.
Hunt had just finished a four-year AFL contract with the Gold Coast Suns when news of the scandal broke, while Michaels was a fan favourite at the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.
Mr MacCallum said Michaels had not been given any explanation from Hunt over why he gave the incriminating statement to detectives, and said Michaels looked forward to having his day in Southport Magistrates Court later this month.
“What really disappointed him was that someone he considered a close, personal friend wouldn’t even contact him (over the statement),” he said.
