@Geo the log jam at the local courts
don't really help in this situation either.
I'm sure we'll have better clarity soon.
"Embattled NRL star Josh Reynolds’ solicitor has unleashed an extraordinary complaint about being on “trial by media” after the Wests Tigers player was charged with a domestic violence offence.
Reynolds faces a hearing in July after he pleaded not guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm against his former partner Arabella Del Busso at his Caringbah home.
However, his solicitor will attempt to reschedule the hearing to an earlier date at another court as the former NSW Origin player stands to miss most of the season if the NRL applies their no fault stand down rule to him.
Reynolds is one of countless defendants who will now be forced to attend Sutherland Local Court on February 7 for an unprecedented “super-callover”, where court staff will press prosecutors and defence lawyers to assess whether their matters can be expedited.
The court is suffering from a significant backlog, forcing defendants like Reynolds to wait several months to face a hearing.
Mr McGirr then complained about media interest in Reynolds’ criminal charge and blamed news reports for harming his career.
“Our client is a professional NRL footballer and is under heavy media scrutiny even with reports today which seem to try to conduct a ‘trial by media’ approach to these matters,” Mr McGirr wrote.
“Our client has suffered significant reputational damage through the media and has been dropped from his ambassador role with White Ribbon, a charity championing the cause of domestic violence sufferers, based on these media reports.”
Reynolds’ solicitor also said “lucrative sponsorships” and “future television presenting roles” were on the line for as long as the matter “drags on”.
“However, what is more pressing is that the NRL governing body has implemented a no fault stand down policy relating to matters such as these,” Mr McGirr wrote.
“What this effectively means is that our client could be stood down from partaking in his employment – playing for his team – until this matter is determined by the court.”
The registrar directed Reynolds’ solicitor to the Chief Magistrate’s Office to make a formal application for his hearing date to be reviewed if the “super-callover” outcome is not favourable.
The Chief Magistrate’s Office has ordered all defendants and their solicitors to attend Sutherland Local Court to establish whether their matters can be expedited.
“It is customary that between listing and hearing, a review is undertaken by the prosecution concerning the prospects of success in a matter,” the office wrote.
“Furthermore, negotiations occur between the defence and the prosecution which sometimes result in a shortening of procedures or even a withdrawal of matters.”
The court was already scheduling hearings for July last December due to their jam-packed calendar causing significant delays" -
Eliza Barr (St George Shire Standard)
