Mark Coyne offers to quit as ARL Commissioner over Singapore charges

League great Mark Coyne will resign if “it is in the best interests of the game”.

ARL Commissioner Mark Coyne allegedly verbally abused a police officer in Singapore. Picture: Getty Images

ARL Commissioner Mark Coyne has offered to tender his resignation if his fellow commissioners decide it is in the best interests of the game.

Coyne flew back into Sydney this afternoon, having spent more than a month in Singapore after being arrested and charged for abusing police in the early hours of June 2.

He only notified commission chair Peter Beattie of the incident on Tuesday and will front his fellow commissioners this month, when a decision is expected to be made on his future.

Asked whether his position was now untenable, Coyne said: “That is something I need to discuss with the commission.

MORE: Double standard in Coyne case

“I have only just dealt with my court case so I am keen to get home and process things. I will have the appropriate discussions with the commission and if that is the outcome, that is the outcome.

“I have always tried to lead a really good life and show good work ethic and good morals. I am embarrassed from my family that they have had to see a husband and father act like he did.

“It was really poor behaviour. I have to wear it and own it.”

Coyne was initially involved in an incident with a cab driver but he was only arrested by police after they requested his passport.

Coyne had left his passport in his hotel room. After being arrested, the former St George and Queensland Origin star directed an expletive-ladened diatribe at police after being arrested for not carrying his passport.

Court documents allege Coyne called Sergeant Dominic Song Guo Quan of the Singapore Police Force a “f..king stupid idiot”, “a c..k”, a “p...k” and a “f..king d’..khead”.

“It is not normal for me at all,” Coyne said.

“I am not a big drinker. I am like the swearing police at home with my kids. The language - I only saw the language on Tuesday and I would be mortified and shocked.

“I read it once and I haven’t been able to read that statement of facts again. It is not my normal behaviour, completely out of character.

“I think you only have to look at the things I have achieved in my life to recognise that it was completely out of character.

“There are not a lot of great memories around that night for sure. The reason I didn’t self report earlier was obviously because I was very concerned from the advice that I got that it would jeopardise my case and result in my being incarcerated.

“It was a personal choice I had to make. Again, I was protecting myself and my family. There will be ramifications around that and I understand that.”

Coyne only joined the commission in February and he was quickly earmarked as a potential successor to Beattie.

He is now clinging to his position on the commission and acknowledged he would be heart-broken if he was forced to stand down.

“It is going to be hard because I really love the game and I thought I was contributing pretty positively in the three or four months that I had been on there,” Coyne said.

“It would have been nice to keep contributing. But I get where I am at and what I have done. I understand the ramifications and if that is that I have to come off the commission, so be it.”

Singapore details emerge

Coyne was accused of using insulting words towards a public servant, in relation to the execution of his duty — Sergeant Dominic Song Guo Quan of the Singapore Police Force.

He was subsequently charged under Section 6(1)(a) which states that “No person shall by any means use any indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards or to a public servant or public service worker (referred to for the purposes of this section as the victim) in relation to the execution of the victim’s duty as such public servant or public service worker.”

According to annex on the charge sheet, Coyne directed a series of abusive comments towards the police officer. He was also alleged to have said “You guys are f..king crazy”, “You guys must be f..king embarrassed” and “You must be so f..king proud of yourselves”.

He also allegedly threatened to take legal action against the police. “I’m gonna sue you through your f..king arse,” he is accused of saying.

It didn’t end there. Coyne was also alleged to have called police “F..king c..ks” and “F..king dogs”.

He also allegedly said: “If some f..king stupid c..t sues me, I don’t care.”. Coyne was fined $4000 in default of one month’s imprisonment and his place on the ARL Commission is now under threat. He has stood down from his role pending a meeting with chair Peter Beattie.