The Snitch: Ex-NRL Star Michael Jennings faces massive legal bill

Former NRL star Michael Jennings is up for a crippling amount in legal fees after losing an appeal against his ex-wife while the coke supplying son of a one-time Origin star is set to avoid jail. The Snitch is here.

Ex-NRL star Michael Jennings is up for a crippling amount of money after he lost his appeal against his ex-wife who successfully sued him in a civil court for sexually assaulting her.

Legal experts have told this column that the former Parramatta Eels star is looking at a bill in the vicinity of $1.5m.

But why is it so much more than the approximately $600,000 that the court ordered Jennings to pay to Kirra Wilden after Judge David Wilson SC found the former State of Origin star sexually assaulted her four times in 2014 and 2015? Because lawyers are really expensive.

And with the proceedings seemingly complete, Jennings has been ordered to pay the legal bill for his and Ms Wilden’s lawyers for the original trial and the appeal.

Ms Wilden had silk Jeremy Morris SC and solicitor Moya De Luca for the original trial. Jennings had a team consisting of barristers Murugan Thangaraj SC and Michelle Campbell and a set of solicitors. Legal fees are not a matter of public record, which leaves us to make some educated speculation.

Michael Jennings faces costs of up to $1.5m. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“For a civil trial of that length, you would likely expect to pay a senior counsel (SC) about $200,000 plus a minimum of 50-grand for the solicitors,” a top Sydney solicitor told us.

So if Judge Wilson ordered Jennings to pay Ms Wilden almost $500,000 in damages and $100,000 “for future economic loss” the estimate legal costs take the amount to about $1m. And then we add on the appeal where Jennings lost this week and was again ordered to pay the legal bill for both sides.

Ms Wilden had three barristers and a set of solicitors. Jennings hired two barristers, including silk Peter Neil SC and solicitors. What does our leading Sydney solicitor say?

“You’re probably looking at $200,000 again for the barristers because, for the appeal, they have to read the entire transcript of the original trial to find the appeal points,” the solicitor said.

Plus solicitors costs, it puts the amount in the range of $1.5m.

The case was unusual in that Ms Wilden sued Jennings in the civil courts rather than the criminal courts. Jennings was never charged with any offence.

AN0M PREVIEW

The accused criminals who have challenged the legality of the evidence collected against them on the AN0M phone app are set to get a preview of how their argument will go.

All up, 66 of the accused in NSW – whose ranks include high-profile alleged cocaine smuggler Mostafa Baluch – have joined forces in an attempt to have evidence collected on the phones ruled inadmissable as evidence, with two weeks of hearings set to begin on April 17.

Before that happens, a decision will be given on a similar challenge to the evidence in a case unfolding in the Supreme Court of South Australia. In that case, a challenge has been made as to the legality and admissibility of the evidence collected on an AN0M phone.

Mostafa Baluch is one of the 66 charged in NSW in relation to AN0M.

A decision on the challenge is due to come down on March 31.

No matter which side wins, it will likely be appealed all the way to the High Court. But it will give a sense of how strong the argument is.

The AN0M phones were part of what was called “The Sting of the Century”. They were promoted to accused criminals as being phones with impenetrable encryption that were beyond the reach of police.

But they were actually developed as a law enforcement sting and police were able to read the messages sent on them.

NRL LIFELINE

Joch McLean leaving Downing Centre District Court with his father Mike playing for Queensland.

AN NRL connection has given the son of an ex Queensland Origin player a lifeline after he was busted with almost a kilo of cocaine.

Joch McLean, the son of former Maroon Mike McLean, was convicted of commercial drug supply but looks set to avoid jail.

But how so given that’s a hell of a lot of coke?

The answer is his lawyers successfully argued before District Court Judge Andrew Scotting to allow what’s known as a section 11 application. Chopping out all the legal jargon, it means the court decided McClean was better suited to go to rehab rather than jail. The rehab McClean is going to is called Elite Athlete Wellbeing Services.

It’s run by Jan Earl, the mother of ex-NRL star Sandor Earl.

The court heard that if McLean successfully rehabs until February he will likely avoid jail.

“The ball is in his court,” McLean’s lawyer Paul McGirr said. “He needs to keep on the straight and narrow or he’ll go in. Simple as that.”