Penrith Panthers player Taylan May found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm in a Sunshine Coast pub

A Penrith Panthers young gun has been found guilty of assaulting a teen at a Sunshine Coast venue in a ‘cowardly’ act just days after the club’s 2021 NRL Grand Final victory.

A Penrith Panthers rookie has been fined $1000 after being found guilty of assaulting a young NRL fan days after winning the 2021 NRL Grand Final.

Taylan Reese May, 21, pleaded not guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on August 29, 2022, to assault occasioning bodily harm.

The court heard May was with some of his Panthers teammates, including his brother Tyrone May, Nathan Cleary and Jerome Luai, celebrating their 2021 premiership win at Duporth Tavern, Maroochydore on October 8, 2021.

While the players were leaving the venue at closing time, Mr Cleary had approached an 18-year-old man who had earlier in the night taken a video of him.

The court heard evidence that Mr Cleary had asked the man to delete the video but he refused.

In CCTV footage played before the court on Monday, May can be seen walking up behind the high school student while he was speaking with Mr Cleary and his brother Tyrone.

Penrith Panthers player Taylan May leaves Maroochydore magistrates court after sentencing for assault. Picture Lachie Millard

The footage showed May pulling the man to the ground by the collar of his shirt.

The man then struck his head on the floor of the bar.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant David Bradley said the incident left the man with a sprained neck muscle.

May’s defence barrister, Matt Jackson, said his client wasn’t contesting his actions but argued the lawfulness of the incident.

Mr Jackson said in his closing statements on August 31, 2022, May had intervened in the conversation between his teammates and the man because he was provoked by what was occurring.

Mr Jackson said the man’s earlier behaviour in the night – which included him being warned by security to stay away from the players – and the fact May’s teammates were annoyed about the video when asking him to delete it, caused the offence.

Penrith Panthers player Taylan May leaves Maroochydore magistrates court after sentencing for assault. Picture Lachie Millard

Mr Jackson said May was trying to support his brother and Mr Cleary.

Both the prosecution and the defence argued May should receive probation but Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said it would prove ineffective in rehabilitation.

“In my view probation is to be extremely unlikely to have any real benefit if the person doesn’t believe they have a problem to address and you don’t by maintaining the plea you have you are in effect saying what you did was justified which was very disappointing,” he said.

Mr McLaughlin said May had no reason to become involved in the incident.

“For reasons I’ll never quite understand, you took it upon yourself to come and grab him with force and in effect fling him to the floor,” he said.

Taylan May has been sentenced for assault occasioning bodily harm after an incident at the Duporth Tavern.

“You’re a powerfully built young man, a professional athlete.

“The complainant on the other hand is quite a small fellow who was obviously affected by alcohol and he had his back to you.

“The very fact he had his back to you makes what you did quite cowardly in my view and unsportsmanlike ironically.

“It seems you’re an exemplary sportsman, if you did what you did on the football field I’ve got no doubt an umpire would not like it. Why you got involved, I can’t understand.

“Mr Cleary and your brother were clearly perfectly capable of controlling the situation themselves, they didn’t need your help, they didn’t ask for your help. It was none of your business.”

May was fined $1000 and ordered to pay $1000 to the man he assaulted.

No conviction was recorded.

The court heard May’s sentence will be reviewed by his team and NRL Integrity Unit.

Originally published as Penrith Panthers player Taylan May found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm in a Sunshine Coast pub