Curtis Scott’s lawyer says $400k payout would be ‘fair’ for unlawful arrest

Rugby league star Curtis Scott’s lawyer says he could be in line for a massive payday from police after his high-profile arrest for sleeping under a tree.

NRL star Curtis Scott’s lawyer says a payout of up to $400,000 would be “fair” as the rugby league player plans to sue NSW Police over his high-profile arrest

Solicitor Sam Macedone says Mr Scott could be looking at a sizeable payday if successful after enduring a traumatic 2020 as he tried to clear his name.

The 23-year-old was handcuffed, pepper sprayed and tasered by police officers who found him sleeping under a tree in Moore Park on January 27 before he was charged with seven offences including assaulting police.

In September a magistrate dismissed all serious charges against the Canberra Raiders centre and slammed his arrest as “unlawful”.

Curtis Scott successfully fought charges including assaulting police and resisting arrest. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Mr Macedone said he was “well and truly” on the way to finalising Mr Scott’s Statement of Claim, which could be filed with the Supreme Court in February.

Mr Macedone said the court would set any payout but in his opinion his client could be looking at up to $400,000 if the lawsuit was successful.

“If someone said to you, ‘What do you think is fair’, I would say 400 (thousand),” he said.

“But there’s a big difference between what a judge says and my opinion.”

His lawyer Sam Macedone said the charges should never have made it to court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Downing Centre Local Court heard during the September hearing Mr Scott had been drinking throughout Australia Day before he stumbled to Moore Park about 2.10am the next morning.

He fell asleep under a fig tree and was intoxicated and barely conscious when officers found him just metres from NRL headquarters.

Police body cam footage played to the court showed the NRL star appear not to know where he was and lazily swatting away officer’s attempts to grab his arms.

The disturbing footage showed him cry out in pain as he was tasered after he had been handcuffed without being placed under arrest and pepper sprayed after refusing orders to stand up.

Dramatic police body cam footage of the arrest was shown during the court hearing. Picture: Handout via NCA NewsWire

The footage revealed he was not decontaminated after being pepper sprayed for up to 19 minutes.

“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Mr Scott could be heard saying repeatedly in the footage.

In court police prosecutor Rebecca Becroft argued the officers were within their rights to handcuff Mr Scott to subdue someone she claimed was “absolutely, tragically affected by drugs or alcohol” at the time.

Magistrate Jennifer Giles dismissed five charges against the footballer and did not record a conviction for the two counts of offensive behaviour to which he had pleaded guilty.

“Being capsicum sprayed whilst you are handcuffed and not decontaminated for some 19-odd minutes, that’s much worse than anything I can do to you,” she said.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller is on record saying he felt “sympathy” with the officers involved in Mr Scott’s arrest.