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Former South Sydney NRL captain and English rugby star, Sam Burgess has been convicted of intimidating his ex-wife father, Mitchell Hooke during a heated clash.
A Sydney court on Friday ruled Burgess had intimidated Mr.Mitchell Hooke, his ex-wife’s father and yelled “Fuck you, I’m going to get you” while 20cm from his face during an expletive-laden rage, sparked when Burgess was asked to leave the Hookes’ Southern Highlands property in October 2019.
Mr.Mitchell Hooke and Burgess.
“I accept Mr. Hooke was terrified, that his whole body went cold,” the magistrate, Robert Rabbidge, said in Moss Vale local court.
Burgess was found guilty of intimidation, having intended to cause Mr. Hooke fear of physical or mental harm. The retired star was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order requiring him to be of good behaviour.
The court heard that the incident occurred as Burgess visited his children after separating from his ex-wife, Phoebe Burgess.
A row escalated after Mr. Hooke asked Burgess to leave, the trial was told.
Mr. Hooke testified he had felt “absolute terror” that his former son-in-law would hit him during the argument.
Burgess told the court that Mr. Hooke had threatened him by saying: “I’m going to destroy you and your career.”
Magistrate Robert Rabbidge found in favour of Mr. Hooke, ruling that he was an “impressive, believable and consistent” witness.
Mr. Hooke is a high-profile political lobbyist in Australia who was previously head of the Minerals Council of Australia.
Burgess, one of rugby league’s biggest stars, was forced to retire in 2019 due to injury after a 270-game NRL and English Super League career and stints with England’s national rugby union and rugby league sides.
He stepped down from his assistant coach position at the South Sydney Rabbitohs club in October 2020, after police began investigating other allegations against him.
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