NRL star Tom Starling cleared of fighting police in bloody bar brawl

NRL star Tom Starling has been cleared of fighting police after he was punched in the face repeatedly and knocked unconscious during a bloody bar brawl.

NRL star Tom Starling has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a violent confrontation with police turned a birthday celebration into a bloodbath.

The Canberra Raiders hooker, 25, and his brothers Jackson, 26, and Josh, 21, faced Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Friday over the brawl with police on December 5, 2020.

The elder Starlings had denied resisting police in the execution of their duty, while their younger brother pleaded not guilty to three counts of resisting police and one charge of common assault.

NRL player Tom Starling (left, pictured with his girlfriend) has been cleared of resisting police. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

During an 11-day hearing, the court heard the brothers were attending a 21st birthday with their family and friends at the Shady Palms hotel on the NSW Central Coast.

A security guard approached the Starling matriarch and asked her to take a seat for Covid distancing reasons and then called her a “f***ing s***”, the court was told.

Josh overheard the insult and leapt to his mother’s defence, yelling “don’t speak to my mum like that” at the security guard.

He was detained by security guards while police and the riot squad were called to the venue.

He shared the image of the bloody result of the brawl.

Tom is a hooker for the Canberra Raiders. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

His brother Tom stepped down from a stage to help Josh, but he told the court he was immediately set upon and “king hit to the head”.

CCTV footage shown to the court shows the NRL star being punched repeatedly in the face by a riot officer as he stumbles backwards from the force of the blows.

His older brother Jackson grabbed the officer’s arm to prevent a punch, but he was hit and shoved to the ground.

Tom told the court he was knocked unconscious by a “barrage of punches and elbows”.

Josh Starling (back), Tom’s girlfriend Chelsea Balzan (middle), and Tom Starling (right) attended court for the hearing last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Josh tried to intervene by putting his body in between the NRL hooker and the officer but his hands were cuffed behind his back.

After moving his leg upwards to prevent the attack, Josh was knocked to the ground by an officer.

He testified that he thought the officers were “going to kill” the Canberra Raiders hooker.

On Friday, Magistrate Daniel Covington found Tom and Jackson were not guilty of resisting police in the execution of their duty.

He previously commented that a police officer punching Tom while he was in a chokehold was “clearly inconsistent with his duty”.

The officer, senior constable Daniel Drew, admitted during the hearing that he had “no reason to punch” the NRL star.

Magistrate Covington determined Josh Starling was not guilty of two counts of assaulting a police officer while performing their duties, but found him guilty of resisting police.

Josh Starling was found guilty of assault and resisting police. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Jackson Starling was cleared of resisting police. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

He was also found guilty of assaulting the security guard who had insulted his mother.

The magistrate did not convict Josh of either charge but instead imposed two 18-month good behaviour bonds.

The security guard has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm over the bloody brawl.

None of the police officers involved have been charged, although police told the court that investigations are ongoing.

Originally published as NRL star Tom Starling cleared of fighting police in bloody bar brawl