Tom Starling, Canberra Raiders: Focus turns to police conduct during Shady Palms melee

NRL star Tom Starling’s lawyer has launched an attack on the police for their alleged conduct in the Shady Palms 2020 brawl, accusing them of lying to cover up their own aggression.

Day three of the high-profile hearing of NRL star Tom Starling has shifted focus onto police conduct – and misconduct – during the alleged birthday party brawl that led to the Canberra Raiders hooker getting repeatedly punched in the face.

After shocking footage was revealed first by NewsLocal last night showing Tom Starling punched in the face by two different officers a number of times, the hearing itself has focused on the conduct of the police during the incident.

The hearing relates to an alleged melee at the Shady Palms Hotel on the Central Coast in late 2020 after an alleged altercation between Tom Starling’s younger brother and a security guard sparked a 20-man brawl and multiple arrests. The NRL player has pleaded not guilty to hindering police officers.

Tom Starling’s high-profile lawyer Samar Singh-Panwar – who also represents his brothers Jackson and Josh, both also charged in relation to the matter – went so far as inferring police were willing to lie to embellish their story against his client.

Tom Starling outside Downing Centre on day three of his hearing. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Senior Constable Steve Brown – who was present during the Shady Palms incident, put together the police fact sheet, and laid the initial charges against Tom Starling – fronted Downing Centre Local Court as a witness as it was also revealed he had initially charged the hooker with two counts of assault (including one against Const Brown himself), before these were dismissed.

The charges – six in total, including two sequences of assault – were withdrawn by an independent review and the footage revealed yesterday shows Tom Starling getting punched, rather than the other way around.

Screengrab of Tom Starling getting punched by a police officer at Shady Palms hotel in late 2020.

“Nothing my client did came close to assault,” Mr Singh-Panwar said.

Const Brown said one charge was for pushing, the second he couldn’t remember.

“You can’t even remember what it was, because it never happened.”

It was also revealed in court that Tom Starling was charged and the fact sheet was created, including that he allegedly assaulted another detective and grabbed his firearm, before taking a statement from the accused and before all CCTV footage was analysed.

There is no footage showing Tom Starling assaulting an officer or grabbing a firearm.

The Canberra Raiders star has pleaded not guilty to the remaining one charge.

“You were willing to put these extreme allegations into the facts against my client, who has no criminal record,” Mr Singh-Panwar said to Const Brown.

“You didn’t see it (Tom Starling allegedly grabbing the officer’s firearm), who told you to put it in the facts?”

Const Brown said he chose to believe his colleague about a situation he wasn’t privy to.

Tom Starling outside court on May 24, day two of his hearing, as sickening footage was revealed. Picture: Gaye Gerard

“That’s the problem isn’t it,” Mr Singh-Panwar said.

“It’s a case of sticking up for your colleagues and the police, and willing to lie to do so.”

Mr Singh-Panwar alleged the initial charges against Tom Starling were done to “justify the unlawful behaviour of the police”, which was rejected by the witness.

The hearing continues as it enters its fourth day.