Canberra Raiders star hooker Tom Starling has been charged and arrested following an alleged intimidation incident at a Central Coast bar over the weekend.
Starling attended Gosford Police Station on Wednesday morning, 20 October, where he was arrested and charged with threatening or causing injury to potential juror or witness and behaving in offensive manner in or near public place or school before being released on bail.
The 23-year-old will appear before Gosford Local Court on January 11, while the NRL are aware of the incident.
NSW Police confirmed Starling was one of four people charged for the incident.
“Three men and a woman were outside a licensed premises on The Terrigal Esplanade when they were refused entry from a 31-year-old security manager due to capacity limits,” the statement said.
“It is alleged the group became agitated and threatened the man several times before walking away from the venue.
“Officers from Brisbane Water Police District attended a short time later and attempted to speak to the group before a 23-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman fled on foot and the two other men – aged 20 and 25 – yelled and hindered police during their inquiries.”
Starling was also involved in an incident on the Central Coast last December that saw him face seven charges. Six of those were eventually dropped while he pleaded not guilty to the remaining charge.
Starling has become an integral part of the Raiders team over the past two seasons and had recently agreed on a new contract with the club.
He is viewed as Canberra’s long term prospect at hooker with Josh Hodgson granted permission to speak with rival clubs and was recently linked to the Wests Tigers.
For the past week, it has appeared the only sticking point in that move is what portion of Hodgson’s mega contract the Raiders would be willing to pay next year.
However if Starling’s future is clouded, Canberra may be unwilling to part with their other hooker despite giving him permission to look elsewhere.
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