Former NRL player Joel Romelo faces potential jail time over police pursuits and brutal attack on former partner

FORMER NRL player Joel Romelo’s lawyer says his client should go to drug rehab instead of jail, but a judge says he ‘lacks insight’ into a brutal attack on his former partner

Joel Romelo, during his stint for Melbourne Storm. Picture: Michael Klein

FORMER NRL player Joel Romelo’s parents think their son is “almost dead and gone if they don’t save him now” and get him to kick his drug habit, a court has heard.

Joel Romelo, during his time with the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Romelo, 30, pleaded guilty last week to charges stemming from two police pursuits and a vile attack on his former partner, in which he tore out chunks of her hair, broke her eye socket and choked her nearly unconscious.

In Darwin Local Court on Thursday, Romelo’s barrister John Lawrence SC said the former Canterbury Bulldogs, Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers player should be sent to drug rehab rather than back to jail.

“He has found room at the inn and the inn is Stringybark (rehabilitation centre),” Mr Lawrence said.

He said guards has taunted him over the weekend, when the NT News published details of Romelo’s attack.

Romelo told a court-appointed report writer “the system” was making him plead guilty.

Judge Alan Woodcock read aloud an excerpt of the report, in which Romelo said: “I grabbed her by the hair and rag-dolled her around and I get painted like a monster”.

Mr Woodcock said it was a sign Romelo had “no insight” into his offending.

Mr Lawrence said Romelo was raised being told “hitting a woman is a no-no”, and that his offending was a product of his addiction to meth, “a toxic, noxious, nefarious schedule one substance”.

Joel Romelo leaving court in 2017

Mr Woodcock said: “You’re still legally responsible for what you do when you’re intoxicated.”

“He’s done it to himself.”

Romelo has served seven months on remand, and which Mr Lawrence said his client had “deteriorated before my eyes”, and had been set upon in jail.

“Give this bloke a chance to get out as soon as possible,” Mr Lawrence said.

Crown Prosecutor Michaela Malone said Romelo ought to be handed a jail sentence with a non-parole period, given his previous breaches of suspended sentences.

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Mr Woodcock will sentence Romelo on Tuesday.