Former NRL star Curtis Scott has been officially convicted of assaulting his former partner Tay-Leiha Clark and handed a community corrections order as the hearing came to a close in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.
The former Storm and Raiders centre pleaded not guilty to four counts of common assault, stalk or intimidate with the intention of causing fear or physical harm, intentionally choke a person without consent, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentionally choke a person with recklessness.
NewsCorp reports that Scott was found guilty of three of those charges, with Magistrate Daniel Covington ruling that Scott pushed Ms Clark during an altercation at her parents' home, causing injuries to her head and arms.
He also ruled that Scott had charged into Ms Clark and knocked her to the ground in a separate incident and that he verbally threatened her during a separate phone conversation in which he threatened to kill them both.
Scott was cleared of all other charges, including the two counts of choking.
Scott's barrister Slade Howell had told the court that Scott was only 21 at the time and had no criminal history and that he was a person of good character.
โThis was the first serious relationship (Scott) hadโฆ it involved feelings that were difficult for both parties to navigate, particularly Mr Scott, being jealousy and insecurity,โ Howell said.
Howell claimed that Scott was in a heightened emotional state and was โvulnerable' when he attacked Ms Clark and claimed that Scott had โgood prospects' of rehabilitation. He also claimed Scott had suffered enough after he was stood down from the NRL in 2021.
โHe was stood down from his profession and has been unable to play football since that time โ that's a whole season on the sidelines,โ Howell said.
โThat's some extra punishment outside the scope of these proceedings.โ
Scott was sentenced to three Community Corrections Orders for the different offences. One will run for six months, another for 10 and the last for a year.
In Scott's favour is the fact that he can serve all three orders concurrently, meaning that in 12 months' time the orders will have been served. Subsequently, he'll need to be on good behaviour and ensure he reports when required to Sutherland Corrections.
Scott has been handed two fines - $800 and $600 โ for the assault charges. An AVO is also being finalised which will require Scott to stay away from Ms Clark for the next two years.
Scott has offered no comment on the court's decision.
