Guilty of lover crash tackle
A FORMER rugby league star and Kiwis international has been given with a good behaviour bond after confessing to tackling his ex-model mistress to the ground in a Gold Coast park.
Sam Stewart, the inaugural captain of the Newcastle Knights in 1988, yesterday pleaded guilty to the common assault of model-turnedactor Erin Connor in January last year. He was sentenced to a two-year good behaviour bond in the Southport Magistrates Court.
Stewart, who played 16 matches for New Zealand, will be required to pay $2000 if he breaches the order. Convictions were not recorded.
The court heard Stewart and Connor had been having an affair and Stewart asked to meet on January 8, 2016 at Cascade Gardens, Broadbeach, to end it. After the pair finished talking in a car, Ms Connor grabbed Stewart’s phone and money and ran away.
Stewart chased and tackled her in an attempt to get his belongings back. The court heard Ms Connor was bruised during the scuffle.
Stewart pleaded guilty on the basis the force used to tackle Ms Connor was excessive. The matter was listed for trial but Stewart indicated he would plead guilty.
Ms Connor gained some celebrity hosting popular TV shows including Discover Queensland and Queensland Weekender. She met Stewart when living at the Grand Mariner Resort, previously managed by Stewart and his wife, Victoria.
Animosity between the three has been rife for several years. In 2013, the Southport Magistrates Court found Mrs Stewart not guilty of an assault on Ms Connor. The court found Ms Connor provoked Mrs Stewart by saying she had sex with Mr Stewart.
Ms Connor was previously charged with stalking Mrs Stewart at her West Burleigh home between December 1, 2013 and April 15, 2014.
The charges were dropped by police this year.
Ms Connor was wanted on a warrant for the stalking charges for several months before being arrested.
Once arrested in August, it is understood she made a complaint against Stewart for the common assault that occurred several months earlier.
Lawyer for Stewart, Sam Jackson, of Bamberry Lawyers, said his client was “glad the saga has come to an end and wholly intends on moving on with his life”.
Ms Connor said she was happy “this chapter in her life has come to an end”.
“... She hopes that both Sam and Victoria are able to find some peace moving forward.”