Former French top level rugby player and coach Sean Mullins sentenced for DV assaults

A former rugby player who once faced the Kangaroos playing for France and competed and coached in the country’s top tier rugby league championship has faced Cairns court for assaulting his wife.

Sean Mullins played for Albi when he was selected for the President's XIII in 1994 at Evry. Photo: FFRXIII

A former rugby player who once faced the Kangaroos playing for France and competed and coached in the country’s top-tier rugby league championship has faced Cairns court for assaulting his wife.

Sean Mullins, 58, pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife multiple times across a span of four days in a cruel display of degradation.

Crown prosecutor Emily Thambyah told the court after one assault Mullins’ wife left the house to sleep on the balcony in an attempt to distance herself from her drunk partner.

“While she was sleeping he placed a ‘for sale’ sign next to her and took a picture, which was then posted on social media,” she said.

“The suggestion being that he wished to sell her because she refused intercourse.

“It is the ultimate objectification of a woman. Selling her like an object, treating her like property.”

The court heard on another occasion the pair was selling a lawnmower and during the sale Mullins asked if they wanted to buy his wife as “she is also for sale”.

The pair argued and Mullins grabbed at his wife’s neck, chased her around a table and pushed it into her, before slapping her in the face.

Ms Thambyah told the court, on a previous occasion already sentenced, after police had intervened during an argument, Mullins had asked if he “could kill her first” as police led him away.

Defence counsel Kelly Goodwin told the court that the defendant suffered from alcoholism, a traumatic brain injury which caused cognitive impairment, and depression.

“Mr Mullins’ alcoholism has certainly impacted his life and behaviour, giving rise to the offences here,” he said.

Mr Goodwin told the court Mullins played rugby at a professional level for many years up until the age of 41 and coaching until he was 46.

At one stage he played for the Sydney Roosters before playing professional rugby league in France for the Toulouse and Albi clubs representing the national team in a match against Australia also.

Mr Goodwin said Mullins had won the equivalent of the Dally M medal in the French league.

She tendered a bundle of medical documents which revealed that Mullins suffered from a number of concussions and head knocks during his playing career which had left him with a brain injury.

Mr Goodwin said that Mullins took responsibility for his actions and had displayed remorse and understanding of his offending.

In sentencing, Judge Ian Dearden told Mullins he needed to stay off the “grog”.

“If you keep drinking you will kill yourself,” he said.

“You are also suffering from issues as well from the head knocks that come with playing rugby.

“That’s the sad thing, all the glory comes with some significant downsides.

“Your behaviour was appalling and disgusting. That’s an appalling lack of respect for another human being.”

Mullins was sentenced to a prison probation order with 177 days imprisonment declared on a term of two and half years, and was also sentenced to a suspended sentence of 12 months.

Originally published as Former French top level rugby player and coach Sean Mullins sentenced for DV assaults