Canberra Raider Tom Starling’s girlfriend Chelsea Balzan escapes conviction over Terrigal brawl

The girlfriend of Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling has been sentenced over her role in the brawl outside a Central Coast bar in October.

The girlfriend of Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling has been sentenced for her role in the brawl outside a Central Coast bar where she threatened a security guard by running her finger across her throat.

Chelsea Anne Balzan, 21, appeared at Gosford Local Court on Thursday where she escaped conviction over her role in the incident outside Mumbo Jumbo’s in Terrigal on October 16 last year.

Tom Starling, 24, and his brothers Josh, 21, and Jackson, 26, are also facing charges over the incident with police alleging the group became agitated and threatened the security manager a number of times.

Chelsea Balzan leaving Gosford Local Court.

At her last court appearance in July, Ms Balzan pleaded guilty to a charge of stalk or intimidate intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm and had a charge of threatening or causing injury to potential juror or witness withdrawn.

A heavily redacted agreed set of facts were tendered due to the Starling brothers’ matters remaining before the courts.

The facts stated that the victim, a security guard, was working at Mumbo Jumbo’s on October 16 when Josh and Tom Starling attempted to enter just after 8.30pm. The security guard “advised them that the venue was at capacity and not accepting walk-in customers”.

A short time later police were called and saw Tom Starling and Ms Balzan walking behind Josh Starling before turning down Campbell Cres.

Chelsea Balzan, girlfriend of Canberra Raider hooker Tom Starling, has been sentenced over her role in an incident outside a Terrigal bar in October 2021. Picture: Facebook

“The accused (Balzan) pointed towards where the victim was standing and then ran her finger across her throat,” the facts read.

The fact stated that when police left, the Starling brothers, Ms Balzan and Connor Watson were all on Campbell Cres.

Brisbane Water detectives interviewed the victim and witnesses and also have CCTV and body worn footage of the incident.

On October 20, Balzan and the Starling brothers went to Gosford police station after receiving legal advice and were arrested. They all declined to be interviewed.

Ms Balzan’s defence lawyer Damien Conn said her role in the incident was confined to “pointing at a security guard and making a throat/hand motion”.

The incident happened outside Mumbo Jumbo’s rooftop bar in Terrigal.

Mr Conn said Ms Balzan, who works as a project engineer, was a person of excellent character with no criminal history who was just starting her life. He said a conviction would impact her future.

Magistrate Michael Antrum said he accepted the “legitimate circumstances” she found herself in.

“However just remember that everyone had to go through the lockdown and the stresses of that time and it’s no excuse for this kind of behaviour,” he said.

Mr Antrum said the act of running her finger across her throat towards a security officer was a “serious lack of judgment”.

“I hope the experience of coming to court is sufficient reminder that this conduct is unacceptable,” he said.

Ms Balzan works as a project engineer. Picture: Facebook

Tom Starling and Ms Balzan live in Watson in the ACT. Picture: Mark Nolan

He found the offence proven, without conviction, and sentenced Ms Balzan to a conditional release order for 10 months.

In July, Tom Starling and his brother Josh entered a plea of not guilty to charges of threaten/cause injury to potential juror/witness.

However they are yet to enter pleas to the remainder of their charges over the alleged incident in October 2021.

Tom is also facing charges of stalk or intimidate intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm and behaving in offensive manner in or near public place or school while Josh is charged with stalk or intimidate intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm, behaving in offensive manner in or near public place or school and resist or hinder police officer.

Older brother Jackson, who is yet to enter pleas, is charged with behave in offensive manner in/near public place/school and two counts of resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty.