OT - Greg Bird jailed for glassing girlfriend

[The Colonel]

Greg Bird jailed for glassing girlfriend






June 22, 2009

Article from: Australian Associated Press
FORMER NRL star Greg Bird has been jailed for at least eight months for glassing his American girlfriend in the face during a drunken argument.
The former Cronulla Sharks player looked shell shocked as he was led to cells beneath Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.

His lawyers are expected to immediately lodge an appeal and try to secure his release on bail.

Bird, who now plays in France, was in April found guilty of one count of reckless wounding and one count of making a false accusation to police over his attack on Katie Milligan.

Ms Milligan, who suffered a fractured eye socket and cuts to her eye at the former rugby league international's Cronulla apartment last August, is still in a relationship with Bird and is living with him in the south of France.

She refused to make a formal statement to police and both she and her parents provided Bird with character references.

Magistrate Roger Clisdell sentenced Bird to a maximum of 16 months in prison for the attack on Ms Milligan.

"It was a despicable act and most unAustralian," he said in his sentencing remarks.

Bird's supporters burst into tears and shook their heads in disbelief as the jail term was handed down.

The footballer was also fined $5000 for the charge of making a false accusation and placed on a three-year good behaviour bond.

In sentencing submissions, Bird's lawyer Leslie Nicholls had asked the magistrate to take note of the fact Ms Milligan had never complained to police about the incident.

However, Mr Clisdell said this was not unusual in cases of domestic violence.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25670843-26103,00.html

 

[The Colonel]

Greg Bird jailed for 16 months

Harriet Alexander | June 22, 2009 - 2:39PM

Rugby league star Greg Bird will spend at least eight months in jail for hurting his girlfriend, Katie Milligan, with a broken glass.
Bird was immediately taken into custody at the Downing Local Court. He was visibly shaken and his supporters cried.
Magistrate Roger Clisdell sentenced Bird to a maximum of 16 months in prison for the attack on Ms Milligan.
"It was a despicable act and most un-Australian,'' he said in his sentencing remarks.
The footballer was also fined $5,000 for the charge of making a false accusation and placed on a three-year good behaviour bond.
Catalans, the Super League club, has previously said that they will stand by their captain and want him to extend his contract with the French club beyond this season.
Earlier, Bird's girlfriend has written him a character reference to persuade a court to give him a lenient sentence for recklessly wounding her in an incident at his Cronulla apartment last August.
But his friend Brent Watson, who the former Sharks player originally told police was responsible for the cuts to Katie Milligan's face and eye, has described him as "selfish", the court heard today.
He has been found guilty of hurting Ms Milligan with a broken glass at his Cronulla apartment in August last year.
They had been arguing after she returned late from a night out.
The prosecution called for him to serve time in jail.
But Bird's lawyer, Les Nicholls, told the court that he had not hurt Ms Milligan intentionally and had not caused her lasting damage or disfigurement.
The pair now live together in France.
"I would ask your honour to accept the reference from the victim that at no time has Greg Bird ever intended ... to hurt her and it was out of character," Mr Nicholls said.
A good behaviour bond or community service order would be more appropriate, he said.
But the police prosecutor, Peter Stanhope, said Bird had not shown any concern for Mr Watson, whose reputation he was prepared to damage in an attempt to avoid police charges and the media attention they would bring.
Mr Watson had described Bird as "a selfish person whose only concern was his football career and the Sharks", Mr Stanhope said.
Mr Nicholls said Bird had been precluded from contacting Mr Watson since the incident, but he wished to apologise to him through the court.
"It was never his intention that any detriment be suffered by Mr Watson,'' Mr Nicholls said.
"He has not been in a position to offer his personal apology. He's asked me to do so today and to ask your Honour to take that into consideration for this offence."
The magistrate, Roger Clisdell, has reserved his decision on the sentence to this afternoon.
Bird was found guilty of reckless wounding and false accusation in April by the same magistrate, who said he had lied about how his girlfriend had turned up at hospital bleeding from her eye.
He pleaded guilty to public mischief.
with AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/leaguehq/articles/2009/06/22/1245522769014.html

 

[Suitman]

Guilty and jail.

That'll learn him.

It's called treating woman with respect, Bird, you cat.

Suity

 

[fish eel]

Greg 'gaol' Bird.

Boom tish.

 

[Suitman]

And another thing........trying to throw the blame at a mate??

How's your form, low life?

Suity

 

[The Colonel]

Greg 'gaol' Bird.

Boom tish.

That has always interested me.... since when did gaol become jail?

 

[sportive cupid]

since globalisation:roll::lol:

 

[fish eel]

I dont know, but I'm sure HJ can tell us?

 

[TheParraboy]

The footballer was also fined $5,000 for the charge of making a false accusation and placed on a three-year good behaviour bond.

Didnt Kate Milligan also lie to authorities and claim it wasnt Bird that hit her ? and she escapes any penalty?

She should be given 3 months in the slammer in my opinion for not setting a good example to other woman. Yeah yeah I know......"Oh I love him he is the love of my life, blah blah blah"

 

[planeteels]

Wonder how glassy eyed he was when the sentence was read out.. (sorry couldn't resist)

he'll appeal and get off me thinks...


Interesting to see he actually got 16 months with 8 month parole period.. just spoke to some of the lawyers here at work and they are pretty confident he'll get off on appeal before a full bench.

 

[Twizzle]

the headline says he's been jailed but the article says he's currently playing in France

 

[PJ Marshal]

joey barton can give him pointers to life behind bars

 

[planeteels]

 

[tresurehunt]

just in time for the nrl season 2010,mmmm i wonder.

 

[Gronk]

I feel sad for them both. No I'm not condoning domestic violence but getting time in the big house is a terrible end to a terrible story.

 

[The Colonel]

the headline says he's been jailed but the article says he's currently playing in France

He returned home from France for sentencing last week.

 

[Suitman]

I feel sad for them both. No I'm not condoning domestic violence but getting time in the big house is a terrible end to a terrible story.

Wouldn't you think it's a just end to a terrible story?
Respect for woman.

Suity

 

[planeteels]

Domestic Violence - It's a Crime

 

[hineyrulz]

Good to see this grub get some time behind bars, absolute coward then he tries to blame a mate. Don't drop the soap Greggy boy........

 

[Suitman]

Don't drop the soap Greggy boy........

I think he'll be fine there.
He's had plenty of practice in the Sharks dressing room. :lol:

Suity