Canberra Raiders star Tom Starling is considering suing NSW Police after the court described their officers' treatment of him as assault.
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Starling was cleared of his involvement in a violent street fight, with magistrate Daniel Covington finding the police weren't acting in their duty when they punched him in the face multiple times.
The 25-year-old and his brothers Jackson, 26, and Josh, 21, brawled with NSW police officers at a Central Coast pub in December 2020.
Starling and Jackson, 26, were charged with hindering police while youngest brother Josh had been charged with common assault of a security guard, assault of two officers and resisting police.
The charges against Starling have been dropped.
Police were seen in CCTV footage repeatedly striking Starling in the head, a scene that Covington described as a "free for all".
Senior Constable Daniel Drew also admitted to the court that he had "no reason to punch" Starling, the judge said.
Covington acknowledged Josh was acting in self-defence of his brother.
"One that is more typically seen in a street fight as opposed to officers in their duty," Covington told Downing Centre Local Court on Friday.
"Clearly what occurred was nothing other than Tom being assaulted himself."
As a result, Starling's lawyer Samar Singh-Panwar said they would consider taking action against the police.
He said it had been a long journey for his client, who was relieved it was over and was thankful for support from the Raiders and the Canberra community.
"Given the findings by the magistrate, it is very much open for Tom Starling to bring a civil action against NSW police," Singh-Panwar told The Canberra Times.
"Consideration will be given to this in the upcoming weeks."
Starling still faced one charge of intimidation from a separate, but related, incident, to which he's pleaded guilty.
It will be before the courts on February 23.
Singh-Panwar was confident Friday's outcome boded well for Starling in that matter as well.
"The outstanding charge is relatively minor compared to the matters that were withdrawn and that Tom was otherwise acquitted of," he said.
"It relates to intimidation of a security guard, who a magistrate has now positively found called Tom's mother a 'slut'.
"It was those words that instigated everything that followed.
"That same security guard has been charged with assaulting Tom's father.
"I expect these will be relevant considerations for the future matter."
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Covington said Starling's brother Josh, who was handcuffed, allegedly kicked and punched police officers, while Jackson was held back by another police officer, having tried to intervene.
Starling was held back and could not defend himself.
The brothers had been celebrating a friend's 21st.
Starling allegedly left the stage area when he witnessed police escort Josh outside of the venue.
Josh had been arrested after he had allegedly pushed Khan Morris, a security guard, who called his mother a "slut".
Morris denied the slur, but Covington said this denial "flies in the face of the objective evidence".
"Josh is clearly enraged by something said by Morris," Covington said.
"All of the evidence clearly points to the fact that Morris had called Josh's mother a slut."
Regardless, Covington found the youngest Starling guilty of common assault against Morris and resisting police.
Josh Starling was sentenced to an 18-month conditional release order without conviction.
Their friend Jesse Byrne was also involved, but assault and hindering charges against him were dismissed.
- with AAP
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