Footy legend Wendell Sailor’s son admits to intimidating girlfriend
The downward spiral of a once-talented footballer, and son of dual international footy legend, led to a relationship marred by fear, paranoia, verbal abuse and stealing $40,000 from his partner.
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A once up-and-coming rugby league player and son of footy legend Wendell Sailor has had a dramatic fall from grace.
Jackson Watson, 24, pleaded guilty to intimidating a girlfriend and fraudulently taking $40,000 from her after becoming addicted to drugs and gambling.
Watson, who is the love child of Brisbane Broncos and Wallabies player Wendell Sailor, did not appear in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday for a brief adjournment of his case.
Watson was once a talented footballer who represented an Australian representative indigenous side in his teens, alongside his half-brother Tristan Sailor
For the first time, his shocking behaviour behind closed doors can be revealed.
Agreed facts tendered to court paint a picture of a relationship marred by fear, paranoia, disrespectful language and impulsive behaviour.
The court heard Watson met a 24-year-old woman through a dating app and they were together for two months in August 2021.
She told police she felt threatened and intimidated by Watson many times and was scared to end the relationship, noting he had an extreme temper, would get angry easily and carry sharp objects.
Only two weeks into their relationship, the woman said she was told to “shut up” for expressing disappointment about Watson no longer wanting to go for a walk as they planned, prompting him to say “I’ll talk to you however the f--k I want.”
A short time later, Watson grabbed the woman’s arm and yanked her onto the road, despite a red walking sign, causing her pain during the dart across the road.
Watson then drove his car fast and erratically, making the woman scared.
About a month later, the woman received a text message from a male friend, making Watson jealous and angry.
Watson told her he would “bash” and “kill” her friend and demanded to know where he lived.
“If there’s something going on, you’re going to be in trouble,” Watson said to the woman. “I’m not messing around, you’ll get hurt, I swear to God. Don’t f--k with me”.
A couple of days later, Watson became paranoid and claimed he could hear noises outside his apartment.
When the woman sat up from the bed they were laying in, Watson yanked back her arm before he grabbed her phone and threw it across the room, causing the screen protector to crack.
The woman said she wanted to go home but Watson would not let her, claiming he was “protecting her” but she was scared of him.
Later that night, the woman told Watson his actions scared her and he became angry, got up close to her face and said, “whatever the f--k you planned, I’m going to find out”.
She started crying and shaking before Watson said, “you should be scared”.
On another occasion, Watson was pacing back and forth at the woman’s house but when she tried to reassure him, he slapped it away and got a knife.
The woman said she was not comfortable with him putting the knife next to the bed so Watson got scissors.
She said she was too scared to ask him to leave.
Watson also asked the woman for money daily, claiming he needed to pay for work training and courses.
If she did not give him money, he would get angry and demand to see her bank account.
She said she gave him $40,000 in cash or transferred money over the course of their relationship.
He told her his boss would reimburse him and she would be repaid.
However, she never received money and spoke with Watson’s boss, who told her he had not worked for him since August and the messages were not from him.
Police arrested Watson at his Caringbah home on October 15 last year before he was taken to Kogarah Police Station.
During a police interview, Watson denied the allegations of malicious damage and assault, but admitted to struggling with a drug addiction and had gambling problems.
He said a Covid-19 restriction meant he was unable to attend group meetings and he had relapsed.
Watson admitted to sending a fraudulent message to the woman claiming he had to pay $675.
Watson pleaded guilty to intimidation, making a false document to obtain financial advantage and a charge of common assault was previously withdrawn in court.
The 23-year-old once seemed to have a promising rugby league career ahead of him, playing for the Central Coast Roosters’ U18 Country Championship squad in 2015.
He then played for the Cronulla Sharks’ SG Ball squad alongside several players who went on to play first grade for various NRL clubs, including Blayke Brailey, Jackson Ferris, Kyle Flanagan, Fine Kula and Jaeman Salmon.
His father Wendell Sailor, who grew up in Sarina near Mackay in North Queensland, played for the Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra Dragons as well winning the 2000 Rugby League World Cup in one of the 16 times he played for Australia.
He also switched codes, playing rugby union for the Queensland Reds and the Wallabies.
Watson will be sentenced in November.
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