Former St. George Illawarra Dragons player Talatau Junior Amone has attributed anxiety and sleep issues as factors behind an alleged incident where he reportedly spat on a woman at a popular pub in Wollongong.
Appearing at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, the 22-year-old was accompanied by his parents, partner, and manager as he sought to have the assault charge dismissed on mental health grounds.
The allegations stem from an early morning incident on August 5, when Amone allegedly spat on a woman he had previously been involved with at The Illawarra Hotel.
The court heard that Amone and the complainant, Tamara Duncombe, had known each other for roughly a year, during which they were briefly involved. Amone, however, has denied having any "domestic relationship."
According to police reports, Amone allegedly insulted Ms Duncombe, using various offensive terms before approaching her and spitting in her face in the hotel's gaming area.
Amone's lawyer, Elias Tabchouri, argued that his client was under โmental impairmentโ at the time of the alleged incident. He cited the stress and public scrutiny Amone had faced following his de-registration from rugby league and the termination of his $500,000 Dragons contract after a 2023 conviction related to a violent incident.
โThis is a young man who dedicated his entire life to rugby league,โ Mr Tabchouri said to The Daily Telegraph. โHe reached substantial success at a young age, only to lose it all and be prevented from doing what he loves. Losing that has taken a toll on him mentally and financially, and he's had to endure that publicly.โ
Mr Tabchouri further argued that the situation escalated due to provocative comments made by Ms Duncombe regarding Amone's struggles and personal setbacks.
Police prosecutor Nathan Smith, however, argued that Amone's mental health concerns were not severe enough to justify dismissing the charge.
The court was shown CCTV footage of the alleged spitting incident, with Mr Smith asserting that Amone's condition was not โprofound.โ
He argued that symptoms such as โpoor sleep, anxiety, irritability, and feelings of worthlessnessโ did not excuse the alleged behaviour.
In response, Magistrate Douglass acknowledged the potential link between Amone's mental health and the offence but highlighted the gravity of the accusation.
โSpitting is a degrading and serious offence,โ he said.
Amone remains on bail, with conditions that include residing at his Warrawong address, having no contact with Ms Duncombe or any prosecution witnesses, and adhering to an apprehended violence order.
