Surprise problem facing NRL star Curtis Scott

A troubled NRL star facing domestic violence charges related to his ex-girlfriend has been confronted by a surprising problem.

NRL player Curtis Scott was arrested last week over alleged historical domestic violence charges. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Court orders made for NRL player Curtis Scott related to historical domestic violence charges have been complicated by the fact his current girlfriend and the alleged victim live on the same street.

The ex-partner at the centre of the 2018 and 2019 domestic violence allegations, Tay-Leigha Clark, lives just 80 metres from Mr Scott’s current girlfriend’s home, the court heard.

Mr Scott’s lawyer told the court he had frequented the home for more than a year before his ex-partner Tay-Leigha Clark moved in, and argued in court he should be able to walk on the opposite side of the street to Clark’s home so he could get to the park where he trains.

This is despite police arguing it would cause Clark “fear and distress”.

It comes as Mr Scott made his first court appearance over the domestic violence allegations at Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday and indicated he will defend the charges.

His current girlfriend also attended in support of him.

Mr Scott had just been given permission to start training with the Parramatta Eels when he was arrested last week while playing golf at Barden Ridge in Sydney’s south.

NRL player Curtis Scott will defend historical domestic violence charges. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

He was charged with two counts of intentionally choking a person with recklessness, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking or intimidating intending fear or physical harm and three counts of common assault.

Police will allege in court that the sacked Canberra Raiders player assaulted Ms Clark on multiple occasions in 2018.

A provisional apprehended violence order (AVO) has also been made by NSW Police on behalf of Ms Clark.

Mr Scott’s lawyer Sam Macedone told the court he was “instructed to enter pleas of not guilty”.

The court was told that the prosecution would call 10 witnesses at Mr Scott’s hearing in the Local Court.

Mr Macedone also looked to vary a provisional AVO so that Mr Scott could walk within 50m of his ex-partner’s home.

The court was told that Mr Scott’s current girlfriend lived some 80m from Ms Clark’s home and had lived there for nine years.

Ms Clark moved into the street in August last year.

“Now (Clark) turns up and says you’ve gotta move, you can’t walk down there anymore,” Mr Macedone told the court.

Mr Scott (left) wants to vary a condition of the AVO against him. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Mr Scott also travels to the nearby park where he trains by walking on the opposite side of the road to where Ms Clark lives.

Mr Macedone asked to vary the AVO application such that he could not go within 10 or 20m of the home rather than 50m as is stipulated.

The prosecution opposed this, with police arguing her “stateof mind was further agitated by his presence in the street”.

“Police believe the defendant going within 50m of the address will cause fear and distress to the victim,” the court heard.

The prosecution also claimed there was an alternative route to the park, which added an extra 500 or 600 metres to the journey.

But magistrate Jayeann Carney granted the changes, suggesting he not go within 15 metres of the address instead.

Sam Macedone, lawyer for Curtis Scott. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

“He’s been in a routine. He has his girlfriend on the street and he’s training. He has no interest whatsoever in relation to (Clark),” she said.

“He knows where (Clark) lives … He would be fool-hearted to put himself in that position.”

Outside court, Mr Macedone had some firmer things to say.

“What we’re saying is they (these allegations) did not happen,” he said.

“He’s going to defend (the charges) quite vigorously.”

“As far as these allegations, 2018, why weren’t they made then?”

When asked why he thought the allegations were made just recently, he said: “I have my thoughts but I’m not about to express them.”

He also had called the effects on his NRL career “unfair”.

“At the moment he’s not allowed (to play NRL). Once you make an allegation nowadays, you’re stood down, they won’t even register him so. And that’s part of the battle.”

“I think it’s unfair, yes. What’s happened to the presumption of innocence? And this affects his whole careers, he can’t play football, he can’t train, he can’t get registered. Why? Because of an allegation that stands to be unproved at this point in time.”

Sutherland Shire police began investigating the 24-year-old in November.

Curtis Scott celebrates scoring a try during his time at the Canberra Raiders. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

It is believed the woman involved filed a complaint against the controversial star with both NSW Police and the NRL.

Mr Scott has had a controversial career, with contracts ripped up by both the Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders after a series of off-field incidents.

He declared in late 2021 that he had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous and seeing a psychologist.

In 2017 he was part of the Storm’s premiership-winning team that defeated the North Queensland Cowboys.

He also played in Melbourne’s grand final defeat the following year.