Victoria Police have chosen not to bring criminal charges against four Sydney Swans players over a complaint from a night at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne, closing the criminal side of a matter that has shadowed the club since August. The decision rests on a judgment that the evidence is not strong enough, though the players had denied wrongdoing from the start. What remains is a harder question of accountability: a civil claim by the women involved, and a club now looking at its own culture. It is the sort of moment in which a legal verdict and a moral reckoning come apart, and the second on
Victoria Police drop criminal charges against Sydney Swans players over Pullman Hotel incident
Women at the Pullman Hotel alleged they were inappropriately touched and slapped by men, and the dancers are threatening civil action.
Insufficient evidence closes the criminal case, but not the civil one
Mark
So police aren't charging anyone. Does that mean the players are fully in the clear?
Mimi
Criminally, yes, on this complaint. Police cited insufficient evidence after legal advice. But the civil matter is still live.
Luke
Worth being precise: insufficient evidence is not a finding that nothing happened. It's a statement about what could be proved to a criminal standard.
Mark
What was the original complaint?
Mimi
Women were allegedly inappropriately touched and slapped by men at the Pullman on August 17, hours after the Swans beat Essendon at the MCG.
Luke
And the players denied any criminal wrongdoing. That denial is on the record, but so is the complaint. Neither has been tested in court.
Mark
Why were they suspended, then?
Mimi
For breaching team rules by going out drinking and bringing women back to the club hotel. That's a club matter, separate from the police one.
Mark
Who is threatening civil action?
Mimi
The dancers who went up to the hotel room. They name the Swans, Heeney, Warner, Bice and Blakey, and former Swan Taylor Adams.
Luke
Threatening, note. We don't know yet whether proceedings have been filed or what they'd claim.
Mark
And the club review?
Mimi
The board's review of the AFL program is due by year's end. We don't yet know what it will recommend.
The Pulse
- Four players avoided criminal charges after police judged the evidence insufficient, but the matter is far from settled.
- Women at the Pullman Hotel say they were inappropriately touched and slapped, and they are now threatening civil action against the club and several players.
- The Swans suspended the players for breaching team rules, and the star defender Nick Blakey has already left for North Melbourne.
- A club-commissioned review of its AFL program, due by year's end, will decide what changes follow, with every player now being interviewed.
Victoria Police have chosen not to bring criminal charges against four Sydney Swans players over a complaint from a night at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne, closing the criminal side of a matter that has shadowed the club since August. The decision rests on a judgment that the evidence is not strong enough, though the players had denied wrongdoing from the start. What remains is a harder question of accountability: a civil claim by the women involved, and a club now looking at its own culture. It is the sort of moment in which a legal verdict and a moral reckoning come apart, and the second one is only beginning.
Victoria Police have decided not to lay criminal charges against four Sydney Swans players over a complaint from the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne. The announcement, about three months after the incident became public, closes the criminal side of a case that has hung over the club since August. Police said the evidence was insufficient, and the players, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon and Nick Blakey, had denied any criminal wrongdoing throughout.
The events date to the early morning of August 17, after Sydney beat Essendon at the MCG. Women at the hotel said they had been inappropriately touched and slapped by men. The club did not wait for a criminal finding. It suspended the players for breaching team rules, namely going out drinking and bringing women back to the club hotel. Riley Bice was cleared by police weeks earlier.
The dispute now moves to the civil courts. The dancers are threatening action against the club, several players and former Swan Taylor Adams. Blakey has already chosen to leave Sydney and join the Kangaroos.
The club is also contending with a separate drug matter, after Tom Papley returned a positive roadside test. In response, the board commissioned a review of the AFL program, meant to assess the club's culture and the conditions needed for long-term trust. It is expected to conclude by year's end. Meanwhile, every player is being interviewed by the human resources chief and chief executive Matthew Pavlich, and the club has acknowledged that the actions of some within it have damaged much of the good it does.
Victoria Police have decided not to lay criminal charges against four Sydney Swans players over a complaint arising from the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne, closing the criminal side of a case that has hung over the club since August. The announcement came about three months after the incident became public.
The four players are Isaac Heeney, 30, Chad Warner, 25, James Jordon, 25, and Nick Blakey, 26. They had been subject to a police sex crimes investigation. A fifth player, Riley Bice, was cleared by police roughly two weeks after the incident, well before the others.
In a statement, police said that after a thorough investigation and on legal advice, they would not proceed with criminal charges because of insufficient evidence. They added that, because a civil matter is ongoing, they could not comment further. The players had denied any criminal wrongdoing throughout.
The events date to the early morning of August 17, hours after Sydney beat Essendon at the MCG. Victoria Police received complaints that women had been inappropriately touched and slapped by men at the Pullman Hotel. The players involved were suspended by the club, not for any criminal finding but for breaching team rules: going out drinking and bringing women back to the club hotel.
The civil matter is where the dispute now moves. The dancers who went up to the hotel room are threatening civil action against the Swans, as well as against Heeney, Warner, Bice and Blakey, and former Swan Taylor Adams.
There have been consequences on the football side. Blakey, the star defender, chose to leave Sydney and sign with the Kangaroos this off-season.
The club has also been under pressure from a later episode. Last week, star forward Tom Papley returned a positive roadside drug test. In a lengthy statement after that, the Swans said the board had commissioned a review of the AFL program, described as an analysis of the current state of the club and of the environment needed for long-term trust and success. The club said the process was well under way and expected to finish by the end of the year, with the board setting clear objectives. Its core aim, the statement said, is to deliver recommendations and actions for meaningful change wherever necessary.
All Swans players are being interviewed by the club's human resources boss and by chief executive Matthew Pavlich. The statement said the actions and attitudes of some within the club had damaged and diminished many of the good things it does, calling that unacceptable and something that must change.
With criminal charges off the table, attention turns to any civil proceedings by the dancers and to the board's review, due by the end of the year.
Notable Quotes
Following a thorough investigation and based on legal advice, Victoria Police will not proceed with criminal charges due to insufficient evidence.— Victoria Police statement
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