Tom Starling: NRL star’s police assault case to consider CCTV evidence

Canberra star Tom Starling was so out of control at a restaurant that he would have scared other patrons, a court has been told.

Rising Canberra Raiders star Tom Starling was so violent towards a female and three male cops at a Central Coast restaurant that patrons would have “feared for their safety”, police allege in court documents.

Starling, 22, is one of four men, including his two brothers Jackson and Josh, charged over a late night drunken scuffle at Shady Palms restaurant on the Central Coast on December 5 last year.

His charges include five counts of assaulting a police officer, affray and resisting an officer.

Starling was not required to attend Gosford Local Court on Tuesday when Shady Palms handed over CCTV footage of the fight.

Canberra Raiders player Tom Starling was bloodied and bruised after the brawl.

Police body-cam footage of the scrap has also been tendered to the court.

He is due back in court next Thursday, but questions remain on how he will attend in person as his bail conditions require while stuck in an NRL COVID bubble in Canberra.

Despite granting bail after he spent a night in lock up, police had concerns Starling would fail to show up to court and may “endanger” victims and the community, court documents show.

“The incident involves violence and occurred whilst the accused was intoxicated,” police said.

“The accused was aggressive towards security and police.”

Starling is a Canberra Raiders rising star. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

And the affray charge described the event: “(Starling) did use unlawful violence towards police by such conduct that a person of reasonable firmness if present at the scene would have feared for their safety.”

Ultimately, bail was approved due to his clean criminal record.

He agreed to only drink alcohol inside his home and to live at either his Avoca Beach home, or his Canberra house if he was working.

Tom Starling and girlfriend Chelsea Balzan in December last year.

Starling was out with friends celebrating the 21st birthday of the brother of Newcastle player Connor Watson with a group that included Kalyn Ponga and other NRL identities.

He told Canberra club officials he stepped in to defend his 19-year-old brother, who had heard what he believed was a derogatory comment made by a bouncer toward his mother.

Police were at the restaurant dealing with another matter when the argument broke out at about 10.50pm.

Starling will claim in court he was not intentionally trying to cause any trouble.