Tyson Leota refused bail over Dora Creek, West Wallsend brawl
A footy player has been refused bail after he allegedly was seen throwing “extremely powerful blows to someone’s head” as part of an altercation between two Hunter rugby league teams, a court has heard.
Newcastle
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A man charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm was on the field “shaking hands when violence erupted” and went to the aid of a teammate who was being attacked, a court has heard.
Tyson Leota, of New Lambton, faced Toronto Local Court via video link on Tuesday where his solicitor applied for bail.
He told the court Mr Leota had been employed full-time since his release on parole and that he went to protect a teammate.
“He went to the aid of a member of his team who was being assaulted,” Mr Leota’s solicitor said.
“There was a lot going on, a series of racial slurs, he reacted to what he saw. He was going to the defence of a teammate who was copping ‘running blows’.”
Video of the alleged altercation, which has gone viral on social media, was shown in court with Mr Leota’s solicitor confirming his client was seen in the footage wearing the number five jersey for West Wallsend.
Mr Leota’s solicitor told the court there were some inconsistencies in the police facts and the victim’s statement and that his client was shaking hands “in a very sportsmanship manner” at the end of the game when he saw a teammate being assaulted.
“He was on the field shaking hands when violence erupted,” Mr Leota’s solicitor said.
After viewing the footage several times Magistrate Andrew Eckhold said it was clear Mr Leota was seen throwing “full force, extremely powerful blows to someone’s head” but it was not clear who or what actions sparked the violence.
“They were massive blows he was throwing,” Mr Eckhold said.
The police prosecutor opposed bail, telling the court Mr Leota had been on parole for just four weeks prior to the incident on Saturday, September 19, after serving time for other matters of violence.
“An old fashioned melee is still an assault, it’s still an affray, which is what he’s charged with,” the prosecutor said.
He told the court the police facts indicated two other people would be charged in relation to this offence, there was more video footage to be reviewed and based on COVID-19 sign-in sheets from the game there was anywhere from 200-300 potential witnesses.
Magistrate Eckhold said the matter would take months to resolve and Mr Leota had a lengthy criminal history, which included offences, “for failing to appear”.
“He’s got as many fail to appear (offences) as I’ve seen for a man of his age,” Mr Eckhold said.
The magistrate said “maybe he was justified, maybe he wasn’t” in reacting the way Mr Leota did but refused him bail because of his record and the current evidence before the court.
Mr Leota will face court again on November 10.
The Monday after the brawl, The NSW Rugby League stood down five West Wallsend players from any involvement in rugby league and terminated the team from the Newcastle and Hunter Community Football competition for the season.