MELBOURNE (Reuters) – A Canberra court has dismissed charges against Australian rugby league internationals Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton who were arrested for fighting with each other at a nightclub in February.
Police had charged both players with fighting in a public place, while charging Wighton with ignoring an exclusion order and his cousin Mitchell with affray and resisting police.
Wighton was celebrating his 30th birthday when police removed him from the nightclub and ordered him to leave the city area.
The case was dismissed on Wednesday, a day after a senior police officer admitted evidence he had given in court about Wighton’s behaviour was inaccurate.
The police officer told the court on Monday that Wighton had “pushed and shoved” a man at the nightclub and appeared aggressive but on Tuesday conceded his evidence did not match CCTV and police body-camera footage.
“Sorry Jack, if that’s what happened. I thought I saw something different,” Australian media quoted the police officer as saying to Wighton in court on Tuesday.
Australia Capital Territory (ACT) Magistrates Court judge Jane Campbell dismissed the case, triggering criticism of police and prosecutors.
The arrests were prominently reported by national broadcasters, with video showing four police officers pinning Aboriginal Australian Mitchell face-down to the ground.
Mitchell was heard screaming “my shoulders” and bystanders were heard telling the police the pair had done nothing wrong.
“I hope everyone knows and understands the seriousness of what’s gone on,” South Sydney fullback Mitchell told reporters outside the court.
“Through the last 10 months it’s been very hard for myself – not only myself but my family and what they’ve had to read and endure. A traumatic experience that I’ve had of Canberra.”
Mitchell’s team mate Wighton thanked his former club Canberra Raiders and his family for their support.
Raiders CEO Don Furner called the case “an extraordinary waste” of the court’s time and taxpayers’ money, while Mitchell’s lawyer called for a review.
ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury described the case as “obviously really concerning”.
ACT Policing said they would work with prosecutors to review the proceedings.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Sonali Paul)
