NT Rugby League Northern Sharks forward Adam Hall pleads guilty to assault as a Landmark bouncer

A rugby league premiership winner who works as a bouncer has been warned he doesn’t have a ‘licence to bash people’ after a violent altercation with a drunk man.

A Territory rugby league premiership winner who grabbed a man by his throat and threw his ‘lifeless’ body to the cement has lost his security guard licence.

Northern Sharks forward Adam Hall appeared in Darwin Local Court on Friday to plead guilty to aggravated assault at the Landmark, at the Gateway Shopping Centre in Palmerston at 1am on February 18.

The 36-year-old, who stands at 193cm, was on duty for Neptune Security when he was approached by a sloshed customer about a foot shorter and 37kg lighter than himself.

The court heard the man had been twice evicted by bouncers that same night, having snuck back into the venue after allegedly shoving a man to the ground and headbutting him in an alleged drunken homophobic attack.

Body cam footage, CCTV and mobile phone footage all showed the smaller man standing up close to Hall before the bouncer grabbed hold of his neck.

NRL NT player Adam Hall leaving Darwin Local Court after the footy player and bouncer pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault at Landmark at Gateway. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Prosecutor Lachlan Macdonald said he was choked with such force he was “bent backwards over the top of the brick wall” and fell unconscious.

Mr Macdonald said Hall then carried the man “by the throat down three steps before throwing him down face first on the concrete pathway”.

The man was “lifeless” for nine and a half seconds before he regained consciousness and walked away.

At no point did the Landmark bouncer or his colleagues check on the injured man, or call emergency services.

Mr Macdonald said the victim later attended Palmerston hospital for his split eyebrow, a chipped tooth, a swollen neck and grazes to his back and elbow.

“The actions of the security guard were unjustifiable,” Mr MacDonald said.

Peter Maley leaves Darwin Local Court after Adam Hall NRL NT footy player and bouncer pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault at Landmark at Gateway. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

But it was only when local gossip Facebook page, The Mango Inquirer, posted phone footage of the assault that police started investigating.

Lawyer Peter Maley said Hall, originally from Cronulla, NSW, had been working as a bouncer at Landmark since it opened and had safely de-escalated thousands of belligerent customers over his time.

Mr Maley said over the years Hall had been threatened with an axe, multiple scissors and had been punched, and showed footage of a violent brawl as evidence of a “standard night” at the Palmerston pub.

Mr Maley said the assault victim had threatened Hall and implied he had connections to the Top End’s bikie underworld, telling him: “Do you know who I am? I will kill you in two days”.

Adam Hall playing for Northern Sharks in Round 1 of the 2023 NRL NT season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The victim later told a friend: “I’m a bit of a nuisance when I’m drunk. Pretty full on and hard c—t. F-ken’ yeah, f—k, f—k yeah ”.

Mr MacDonald said regardless of the victim’s action, Hall had an obligation not to use excessive, potentially life-threatening force by choking an “intoxicated” and “rambling” man.

“A licence to be a crowd controller is not a licence to bash people,” he said.

Mr Maley said Hall acknowledged his response was “disproportionate” and his security licence was suspended as a result.

Judge David Woodroffe adjourned the hearing until Monday November 20 for sentencing.

Originally published as NT Rugby League Northern Sharks forward Adam Hall pleads guilty to assault as a Landmark bouncer