Former Canterbury Bulldogs NRL player Joel Romelo facing charges after Humpty Doo siege
Police allege a former footy star holed himself up in a Humpty Doo home for three-hours after leading cops in a dangerous pursuit in a stolen car.
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A troubled former NRL star who allegedly led police on a dangerous car chase before using a rural home as his hide-out while surrounded by weapons has faced court on a string of charges.
Ex-Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm player Joel Romelo faced the Darwin Local Court on Friday charged with driving, firearm and assault charges following a three-hour siege in Humpty Doo.
Police have alleged they were searching for the 34-year-old when they received a tip-off and tracked him down to a Woodlands Rd home on Wednesday afternoon.
Officers closed off the quiet rural suburban street from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, calling in property crime detectives from Task Force Trident, police negotiators and the Territory Response Group.
After a three-hour standoff, Romelo and 24-year-old Josiah Binsaris were arrested without incident and each were charged with separate unrelated historical offences.
Police said Romelo was their initial arrest target as he was wanted over an alleged pursuit in a stolen car.
The 34-year-old was charged with unlicensed, dangerous driving, driving a vehicle without consent, being involved in a pursuit, failing to obey a police direction, not having his number plates attached and having plates “calculated to deceive”.
Romelo was accused of not holding a gun licence while in possession of a firearm and ammunition and failing to comply with storage requirements.
The former footy star — who weighed in at 88kg at the peak of his career — was charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering serious harm, possessing stolen property and property damage.
Romelo was silent as he waited behind the court security screen during his brief hearing before Judge Thomasin Opie on Friday.
He made no application for bail and will remain in custody on remand until his next appearance on September 29.
After hearing he would spend the next two weeks in the clink, Romelo gave a small wave to a young woman who was waiting in the court gallery in support.
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Originally published as Former Canterbury Bulldogs NRL player Joel Romelo facing charges after Humpty Doo siege
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