NRL player Matt Lodge accused of having no remorse

A CAPTURED moment that happened behind closed doors could have dire consequences for an NRL player.

MATT Lodge was supposed to be on his way to rehab when a video was taken of him emerging from a cupboard singing and celebrating at a Christmas party.

The clip was posted on his brother Jack’s Facebook account on December 25, and was reportedly filmed just two days after the disgraced former Wests Tigers player pleaded guilty to reckless assault when he stalked and threatened two women in Manhattan.

The victims’ lawyers are now using the video as evidence Lodge was showing no remorse, and he is being sued for $1.38 million,The Daily Telegraph reported.

“The plaintiffs’ lawyers view this video as direct evidence that he has no remorse, that (the criminal case) was a slap on the wrist and he thinks he has no accountability here,” lawyer Jeanne Christensen told The Telegraph.

“It shows a complete failure to take responsibility for his actions. He was supposed to be on his way to rehab and prior to going it’s like he’s trying to cram as much partying in as he can.”

NRL great Mark Geyer said it was another case of a private moment unnecessarily being made public, similarly to the Mitchell Pearce Australia Day scandal a month ago.

Lodge in action for the Wests Tigers.

“Mobile phones again. Someone at that party that he was at had a mobile phone and they recorded it,” Geyer said on Triple M’s The Grill Team.

“Somehow the media got hold of it and now Matty Lodge could be back to square one.

“The [celebrating] can still happen but why do mobile phones need to tape that? Oh, man.”

Geyer’s fellow host Gus Worland added: “I can understand why the friends want to rally around him but maybe just a little bit of discretion at the moment because of the things he was up on charges with ... it’s pretty heavy stuff, so maybe bring it back a little bit.”

Lodge secured a plea deal in December that allowed him to a sidestep a lengthy jail sentence.

The more serious charges of felony burglary, and burglary of dwelling causing injury charges, with a minimum five-year and maximum 25-year jail sentence, were dismissed.

Under the deal, he was required to abstain from drugs and alcohol, attend rehab for 28 days, complete community service and undergo one year of psychology treatment.

Matthew Lodge on Instagram.

‘THIS IS THE NIGHT YOU DIE’

The 17-page lawsuit, filed in December, contained frightening allegations of the violence and threats attributed to the 193cm tall, 110kg rugby league player inflicted at about 4am on October 16.

“The lives of five innocent people, including a boy of nine-years-old, were forever changed by the vicious and violent attacks by defendant Matthew Lodge, a professional rugby player with a history of violence and animosity towards women,” the lawsuit stated.

It describes how Carolin Dekeyser and a female friend were getting out of a cab near their friend’s Upper West Side apartment when “a thickly-muscled, visibly intoxicated” Lodge approached and spoke aggressively to the driver.

The cabbie urged Dekeyser and her friend to get to the apartment and then he drove away, according to the lawsuit.

Lodge allegedly began asking the women to return to Australia with him and then threatened them by saying, “This is the night you die.”

The women ran to their friend’s building but Lodge followed, grabbed Ms Dekeyser by the shoulders, spun her around to face him and “began to ramble about his desire to take the women to Australia to meet his family”.

The women buzzed all 10 apartments in the building and Lodge followed them into the foyer.

Joseph Cartright, a photographer and resident, heard the buzzer and went to the front door to help.

The women allegedly ran to their friend Guillaume Roemaet’s apartment and when a shirtless, tattooed Roemaet came out to see if he could help, Lodge allegedly said: “You don’t scare me. I have tattoos too. I’m going to kill you.”

Roemaet allegedly pushed the women back into his apartment and locked the door and Lodge forced himself into Mr Cartright’s apartment, where his wife Ruth Fowler and nine-year-old son were.

Lodge allegedly paced inside and said: “My name is Matthew Lodge. I come in peace. Salaam Alaikum,” and then walked into the bedroom where Fowler was in bed calling police.

The lawsuit says Salaam Alaikum is a common “peace to you” greeting among Muslims.

Cartright allegedly attempted to cajole Lodge outside their front door and once outside, Fowler closed the door.

Lodge allegedly became “enraged” and “grabbed Mr Cartright, put him in a headlock and repeatedly punched Mr Cartright in the head, landing multiple blows to his left ear and skull”.

Lodge allegedly ran back into the apartment and shoved furniture behind the door to prevent Cartright from getting in.

Ms Fowler grabbed her son and locked themselves in a bathroom, placed her back against the door and used the sink as leverage.

Lodge allegedly was in the kitchen smashing plates and glasses and then attempted to punch his way into the bathroom and “wood splintered around her head and into the bathroom”.

When eight NYPD officers arrived Lodge allegedly threw a two-litre bottle of wine at them.

Fearing a hostage situation, the police entered the apartment with their guns drawn, but found Lodge cowering in a bedroom closet, according to the lawsuit.

— with AAP

Originally published as NRL player Matt Lodge accused of having no remorse