'Party video shows ex-NRL footballer's total lack of remorse'
ninemsn
A video of disgraced former NRL player Matt Lodge receiving a hero's welcome from his friends days after pleading guilty to assault in New York has been seized on by his victims' lawyers. Lodge is being sued in civil court following his guilty plea to reckless assault in December, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Lodge was on holiday in the US when he stalked two women from a Manhattan nightclub, assaulted a man who tried to help them, then locked himself in the man's home with his wife and child inside.
The video, which was shared by Lodge on Facebook, shows his mates singing a version of a Christmas carol when the former Tigers player emerges from a cupboard and is embraced by his friends. Lawyers for Lodge's victims argue that the footage, believed to have been recorded only days after the ex-West Tigers footballer admitted to the assault, is evidence of his "complete lack of remorse".
"The plaintiffs' lawyers view this video as direct evidence that he has no remorse, that (the criminal case) was a slap on the wrist and he thinks he has no accountability here," lawyer Jeanne Christensen said. "It shows a complete failure to take responsibility for his actions. He was supposed to be on his way to rehab and prior to going it's like he’s trying to cram as much partying in as he can." His victims are believed to be seeking up to $1.3 million.
Lodge pleaded guilty to reckless assault just days before Christmas and then raced home to Sydney to spend the holidays with his family. Lodge's plea deal requires him not to drink alcohol or use drugs, attend a 28-day inpatient rehab facility, do community service and visit a clinical psychologist for one year.
The former footballer's rampage allegedly began when he confronted two women on an Upper West Side street about 4am on October 16, asked them to return to Australia with him and then said: "This is the night you die". Lodge, according to court documents, had a 0.256 blood-alcohol limit and was taking painkillers and valium.
Local resident Joseph Cartright came to help the women, but the 193cm tall, 110kg former NRL prop struck Mr Cartright, entered his apartment, smashed belongings and attempted to break his way into a bathroom where Mr Cartright's wife, Ruth Fowler, was hiding with their nine-year-old son, according to the lawsuit.
Lodge was arrested at gunpoint by NYPD officers and spent a weekend with murderers, rapists and gangsters in New York's infamous Rikers Island jail complex before lodging $27,600 bail.
Ms Christensen and Renan Varghese, who are representing Mr Cartright, Ms Fowler and one of the women, Carolin Dekeyser, in the civil action said their clients were not informed of the plea deal before Lodge struck it with prosecutors on December 23.
© ninemsn 2016
ninemsn
A video of disgraced former NRL player Matt Lodge receiving a hero's welcome from his friends days after pleading guilty to assault in New York has been seized on by his victims' lawyers. Lodge is being sued in civil court following his guilty plea to reckless assault in December, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Lodge was on holiday in the US when he stalked two women from a Manhattan nightclub, assaulted a man who tried to help them, then locked himself in the man's home with his wife and child inside.
The video, which was shared by Lodge on Facebook, shows his mates singing a version of a Christmas carol when the former Tigers player emerges from a cupboard and is embraced by his friends. Lawyers for Lodge's victims argue that the footage, believed to have been recorded only days after the ex-West Tigers footballer admitted to the assault, is evidence of his "complete lack of remorse".
"The plaintiffs' lawyers view this video as direct evidence that he has no remorse, that (the criminal case) was a slap on the wrist and he thinks he has no accountability here," lawyer Jeanne Christensen said. "It shows a complete failure to take responsibility for his actions. He was supposed to be on his way to rehab and prior to going it's like he’s trying to cram as much partying in as he can." His victims are believed to be seeking up to $1.3 million.
Lodge pleaded guilty to reckless assault just days before Christmas and then raced home to Sydney to spend the holidays with his family. Lodge's plea deal requires him not to drink alcohol or use drugs, attend a 28-day inpatient rehab facility, do community service and visit a clinical psychologist for one year.
The former footballer's rampage allegedly began when he confronted two women on an Upper West Side street about 4am on October 16, asked them to return to Australia with him and then said: "This is the night you die". Lodge, according to court documents, had a 0.256 blood-alcohol limit and was taking painkillers and valium.
Local resident Joseph Cartright came to help the women, but the 193cm tall, 110kg former NRL prop struck Mr Cartright, entered his apartment, smashed belongings and attempted to break his way into a bathroom where Mr Cartright's wife, Ruth Fowler, was hiding with their nine-year-old son, according to the lawsuit.
Lodge was arrested at gunpoint by NYPD officers and spent a weekend with murderers, rapists and gangsters in New York's infamous Rikers Island jail complex before lodging $27,600 bail.
Ms Christensen and Renan Varghese, who are representing Mr Cartright, Ms Fowler and one of the women, Carolin Dekeyser, in the civil action said their clients were not informed of the plea deal before Lodge struck it with prosecutors on December 23.
© ninemsn 2016
