Inside NRL star Chris Sandow’s wild alleged cop assault

An NRL legend has staunchly denied allegations he tackled a cop ‘rugby-style’ and headbutted another when they arrested him at his mum’s Ipswich house last year.

Chris Sandow arriving at the Ipswich Courthouse for his trial for police assault charges on February 9, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Wild allegations have been heard in the trial of an NRL star, who is accused of assaulting two police officers, with claims he tackled one cop “rugby style” while paranoid on meth.

Former Parramatta Eels and South Sydney Rabbitohs star Christopher Carl Gene Sandow, 34, pleaded not guilty at trial in Ipswich Magistrates Court on February 9 to two counts of seriously assaulting a police officer – one causing bodily harm.

The trial followed Mr Sandow’s successful bail application last December after he spent approximately three months in custody.

The court heard from five witnesses throughout the day, including three police officers, a doctor and Mr Sandow.

The court heard that on August 28, 2022, police were called to Mr Sandow’s mother’s East Ipswich home, where she resides with Sandow’s two children.

Chris Sandow with his lawyer Paddy O'Donnell arriving at the Ipswich Courthouse. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Multiple officers testified they had received a call about a domestic violence incident and attended the scene around 8.50pm to investigate.

In Mr Sandow’s testimony, he maintained no domestic violence had taken place, saying “me and my mum were just having a personal disagreement”.

It was not alleged Mr Sandow used any physical violence against his mother.

The officers testified that Mr Sandow was sitting outside in front of the house when they arrived and that there was smashed glass and belongings on the ground in front of him.

By Mr Sandow’s account, he had attended the house to pick up some of his and his deceased father’s belongings but had dropped them.

Constable Lauren Hanson told the court the glass on one of the house’s lanterns was shattered and she believed the glass on the ground to have been from that lantern.

Body worn camera footage of the events were played before the court, in which Acting Sergeant Taleah Doyle was heard asking Mr Sandow what was happening.

Mr Sandow appeared relatively calm but guarded, questioning her about whether they were filming.

When the officers explained to Mr Sandow they had attended the scene due to a report of domestic violence, his demeanour appeared to shift.

His mother Rhonda Sandow was heard explaining to police officers that she and her son had argued about her car.

She told them she had been letting Mr Sandow drive her car in recent months and he had wanted to use it that night but there was no petrol left.

She also told officers her son had threatened to “smash up” the car and later explained he had been using ice and needed to “go and get help”.

“I love my son, but I can’t do it anymore,” she told them.

Chris Sandow outside Ipswich Courthouse after his trial for police assault charges on February 9, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Constable Andrew Goulding was heard telling Mr Sandow he was under arrest, as there was an active warrant (for an unrelated charge) after he failed to appear in court.

The court heard police had attempted to arrest Mr Sandow for the same reason the evening prior but he evaded arrest.

When officer Goulding placed his hand on Mr Sandow’s wrist, a scuffle ensued – in which Mr Sandow is alleged to have assaulted officer Goulding and officer Doyle.

Officer Goulding alleged in his testimony that Mr Sandow attempted to headbutt him while the officers were attempting to restrain him.

He further alleged Mr Sandow had picked him up in what was later described as “rugby league tackle-style,” pushing him backwards into a car on the driveway and causing pain in his back for several days following.

“If I wanted to tackle an officer it would have been different than that,” Mr Sandow told the court in his testimony.

Mr Sandow was further alleged to have headbutted officer Doyle.

She told the court Mr Sandow had moved his head sideways while she was holding his left arm and struck her in the lip, causing pain.

Officer Hanson told the court she had seen Mr Sandow’s head move sideways towards officer Doyle and officer Doyle’s head move backwards in reaction to what she believed to be contact.

Officer Doyle alleged she also suffered an injury to her finger throughout the struggle when Mr Sandow attempted to pull from her grip – in what she believed to be an attempt to strike officer Goulding.

Her doctor testified her injury quantified as “bodily harm” by the legal definition and said it appeared to be the result of strain, likely from the struggle.

Defence lawyer Paddy O’Donnell argued that injury could have been suffered at any stage and was not necessarily due to his client’s behaviour.

Mr Sandow denied assaulting either officer in his testimony, insisting it was “not true, never happened”.

He said he was calm when they arrived but was scared when they told him he was going to be arrested as it was his first time being arrested.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Brad Dick later pointed out that Mr Sandow had been arrested multiple times previously.

Mr Sandow agreed that his evidence had been untrue but Mr O’Donnell said his client may have misunderstood the legal definition of being arrested.

Chris Sandow with his lawyer Paddy O'Donnell outside Ipswich Courthouse after Mr Sandow's trial for police assault charges on February 9, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Mr Sandow further accused police of treating him with disrespect, saying “if officer Goulding was to ask me politely and in a different manner, being the gentleman I am, I would have actually went to the station”.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Brad Dick put it to the court that the officers were “entirely clear and respectful” throughout the events and said it was reasonable for them to put hands on Mr Sandow and handcuff him, given he had evaded arrest the previous evening.

Mr Sandow told the court he had taken methamphetamine two days prior to the incident after having used it for approximately a year.

He said his meth usage had caused increased paranoia throughout the incident and his years as a rugby league player had caused him to struggle as an instinctive reaction when someone was trying to grab hold of him.

“I was on the drugs heavily – on the bad stuff,” Mr Sandow said.

When asked if he possibly didn’t have a full recollection of events due to his drug use, he maintained the footage and injuries didn’t support the officers’ claims.

In closing, Mr O’Donnell argued any contact which occurred during the “scuffle” could reasonably be perceived to be accidental or in self defence.

Sergeant Dick maintained the police officers’ evidence had been clear, they had supported each others claims and there was no reason to doubt the truth of their evidence.

He quoted how Mr Sandow had told police in the footage “I’m not going to f**king jail”.

Sergeant Dick said Mr Sandow was not going to be taken into custody “rain, hail or shine” and had assaulted the police in an attempt to escape.

Magistrate Jason Schubert said he would deliver a reserved decision at a date to come.

Mr Sandow’s bail was enlarged and he told The Queensland Times he was feeling confident.

“You gotta be … I’ve done my time,” he said.

Originally published as Inside NRL star Chris Sandow’s wild alleged cop assault