Incoming Sydney Roosters dummy-half Brandon Smith has admitted lying to police during a video-link appearance in court during the domestic violence trial of former Melbourne Storm teammate Curtis Scott.
Scott is currently in court fighting allegations of physical and verbal violence during a two-year relationship with his former partner, aspiring athlete and 'social media star' Tay-Leigha Clark between 2017-19.
He’s facing a variety of counts including common assault, stalk or intimidate with the intention of causing fear or physical harm, two counts related to choking and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
Smith and Scott lived together with other players Scott Drinkwater and Brodie Croft during the time period these allegations took place, and News Corp reports that Smith told the court he had never seen any hint of domestic violence between the pair.
“I would have done something about it if that was the case,” Smith told the court.
“It just sounds not true.”
Smith also claimed that he refused to sign a statement he gave to police because he felt that the line of questioning was tailored against Scott.
“I didn’t sign it because I didn’t like what was in there. I thought some of it wasn’t true. I thought some of the questions were ‘anti-Curtis’.”
Police prosecutor Rebecca Beecroft suggested that Smith’s stance was that of someone defending a teammate and protecting reputations – a claim which Smith heavily refuted.
“He doesn’t want to be seen as a person who goes against his teammates,” Beecroft claimed.
“His reputation could be damaged in a team environment for ‘dogging’ on a teammate.”
Smith replied by saying that the game and his relationship with Scott had nothing to do with it.
“I don’t think being an NRL player has anything to do with that. I would (report him regardless).”
The hearing is ongoing.