Canterbury’s Adam Elliott accused of ‘intimate act’ with former teammate Michael Lichaa’s fiance
Police were called and charges laid after a star player was caught in an ‘intimate’ act with the fiance of his former teammate.
Canterbury forward Adam Elliott has been interviewed by the NRL integrity unit amid allegations he was caught in an intimate act with the partner of former teammate Michael Lichaa, leading to an early morning fracas at a home in Sydney’s south.
Elliott, who became a father for the first time last year with his partner, spoke to the integrity unit on Monday after the Bulldogs self-reported the incident, which happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Canterbury chair John Khoury personally called ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo to inform them of the incident.
In the aftermath, Lichaa was charged with common assault, destroying or damaging property and stalking/intimidation causing fear of physical harm.
His lawyer Sam Sadaat indicated Lichaa would fight the charges.
“He denies an assault took place” Sadaat said. “He says it didn’t happen. That is the extent of it.”
It is understood Lichaa woke early on Sunday morning to find Elliott canoodling with his partner, Kara Childerhouse. The matter escalated from there, leaving Lichaa with serious wounds to his arm and hands after he allegedly punched glass windows.
There is no suggestion Elliott has done anything legally wrong, nor is he the subject of police investigations, but the club was sufficiently concerned to contact the NRL integrity unit to make them aware of the matter.
“The club has reported the matter to the NRL integrity unit and is currently working with them,” the Bulldogs said in a statement.
Khoury confirmed the club had notified their sponsors and stakeholders.
“If there is a problem, the club and the concerned individual are going to own it,” Khoury said.
“What we have done is we have self-reported yesterday and continued today to the NRL. We have had confirmation there is no issue with the police with Adam.
“We are fully co-operating. What we are doing is contact all our stakeholders and key sponsors. This is a very fluid situation. But there are no police issues with our player.”
Lichaa was treated at hospital before being charged over allegations. The 27-year-old spent five years at the Bulldogs, playing 98 games before being let go at the end of 2019.
He played the vast majority of those games alongside Elliott, the pair becoming good friends in the process.
Meanwhile, Canterbury’s hopes of recruiting Brisbane centre Kotoni Staggs appear over after he indicated his preference to sign a new deal with the Broncos.
Staggs is off contract at the end of the year and was in the sights of a host of clubs, including the Bulldogs and Parramatta.
if he has his way, he will stay in Brisbane.
“I love the club,” Staggs said at a promotion for 2021 Broncos Deadly Choices preventive health campaign.
“Growing up as a young kid, it’s where I wanted to be. It was a dream to play for the Broncos and Darren Lockyer was my idol. I don’t want to be anywhere else bar here and it would be good to just stay here.
“I want to play good footy when I get back from my injury and see what happens from there.”
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