Former Wallaby Scott Higginbotham charged with assaulting police inside Fortitude Valley Police Beat

NEW Queensland Reds recruit Scott Higginbotham has been charged by police after he allegedly illegally entered a Fortitude Valley Police Beat and assaulted an officer.

Scott Higginbotham has been charged with assaulting police. Picture: QRU

FORMER Wallaby Scott Higginbotham allegedly illegally entered a Fortitude Valley Police Beat and assaulted an officer after one of his friends was arrested for urinating in public Sunday morning.

The Australian Rugby Union confirmed that its integrity unit had launched an investigation into the incident at the Brunswick St Police Beat about 1.30am on Sunday.

Police said a 30-year-old man had been charged following an incident in Fortitude Valley and was due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 21.

Higginbotham last played for the Wallabies in 2015.

It is believed Higginbotham had dinner with his partner on Saturday night before meeting up with friends in the inner city suburb renowned for its eateries and bars. One friend was taken to the Police Beat after allegedly urinating in public and Higginbotham is believed to have followed him there.

Channel 9 reported that police had pulled out a Taser during the incident.

Higginbotham has been stood down from training until the police matter is resolved.

He had only resumed training with the Queensland Reds at Ballymore last Monday after being one of the team’s big off-season recruits after playing two seasons in Japan.

Queensland police statement on charge against Higginbotham pic.twitter.com/9HUKSinh82

— Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) February 5, 2017

The incident has rattled the Reds’ early season preparations as Higginbotham was pencilled in to play in the team’s only pre-season trial against his former club the Melbourne Rebels on February 14 at Ballymore.

ARU chief executive Bill Pulver said the integrity unit had launched an investigation after the matter was referred to them by the Queensland Rubgy Union.

“As the matter is currently with Queensland Police, no further comment will be made at this time,” he said.

A QRU spokesman said: “As this is a police matter, the QRU is not able to comment further at this time.”

Higginbotham is a key signing for the Reds. Picture: Mark Calleja

The towering 1.95m backrower played the last of his 32 Tests for Australia in 2015.

Higginbotham has been active as a businessman, setting up several cafe-bars around Brisbane including Moose and Gibson at Woolloongabba.

The powerful forward has no track record of off-field dramas across his eight seasons of Super Rugby and was an admired captain during his three seasons (2013-15) at the Melbourne Rebels.

Higginbotham has always enjoyed his rugby but also the doors it has opened with experiencing a new culture in Japan and the personal involvement he takes as a co-owner in setting up his cafe-bars.

Originally published as Former Wallaby Scott Higginbotham charged with assaulting police inside Fortitude Valley Police Beat