Former England Rugby League captain Sam Burgess has won an appeal to overturn his conviction for intimidating his former father-in-law in Australia.
Last month, the court ruled that Mr Burgess had threatened Mitchell Hooke with intent to injure his body or mind.
The case is related to an alleged incident at Mr Hooke’s home in 2019.
Appeal
But an appellate court judge ruled that Mr Burgess’ events should have been considered in the original decision as a reason for reasonable skepticism.
“This was a case of the word of Burgess against the word of Hooke,” Judge Mark Williams told a New South Wales court on Friday.
He overturned Mr Burgess’ sentence that had earlier imposed a fine of a two-year good code of conduct bond.
What Had Happened?
The alleged discrepancy between the two took place when Mr Burgess visited his children after a break-up with his ex-wife, Phoebe Burgess.
The trial heard competing accounts, with Mr Hooke alleging Mr Burgess had said: “I’m going to get you. You’ve set all of this up.”
Mr Hooke said he felt “terrified” that his ex-son in lawwould hit him during the argument.
Mr Burgess said Mr Hooke had threatened him: “I will finish you and your career.”
The former athlete claimed that his father-in-law was a bully.
Career Impact
Justice Williams ruled that the original decision had not yet been confirmed.
Mr Burgess, one of Rugby League’s biggest stars, had been forced to retire in 2019 due to injury.
He was forced to step down from his assistant coach position at the South Sydney Rabbitohs club last October, after police began investigating other allegations against him.
The Australian newspaper reported that the National Rugby League (NRL) club had covered up alleged drug use and domestic violence by Burgess. Burgess has strongly denied the allegations.
The former Bradford Bulls player first joined the Rabbitohs in 2010, rising to become their star player and captain over 182 NRL appearances for the club.
He played 24 matches for England and two for Great Britain.
Burgess also had a short spell in Rugby Union and won five England caps.
