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NRL puts all players on notice after bikie dinner

The infamous photo (source: Instagram)
25th May, 2016
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After Parramatta Eels duo Corey Norman and Junior Paulo, along with Penrith Panthers hooker James Segeyaro were found to be having dinner with bikies and alleged criminals on the weekend, the New South Wales police have officially issued warnings to all players involved.

The photo, published on Paulo’s Instagram account, has since been removed, but not before the media could get hold of it.

Later that evening Norman was embroiled in an alleged drug scandal where it is understood he was stopped by a metal detector with a container of unexplained white pills. A friend has stepped forward and claimed the container was his and not Norman’s.

» Norman ‘dined with criminal figures’
» Norman subject of police investigation

It is unknown at this stage where Paulo and Segeyaro were still with Norman when he was stopped.

The warning issued by the police refers to the fact the players were caught with convicted criminals and bikies. Under law the trio could be handed a three-year prison sentence if it were to happen again.

The warnings were under section 93 X of the crimes act which states:

(1) A person who:
(a) habitually consorts with convicted offenders, and
(b) consorts with those convicted offenders after having been given an official warning in relation to each of those convicted offenders,
is guilty of an offence.
Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 3 years, or a fine of 150 penalty units, or both.

(2) A person does not
“habitually consort” with convicted offenders unless:
(a) the person consorts with at least 2 convicted offenders (whether on the same or separate occasions), and
(b) the person consorts with each convicted offender on at least 2 occasions.

(3) An
“official warning” is a warning given by a police officer (orally or in writing) that:
(a) a convicted offender is a convicted offender, and
(b) consorting with a convicted offender is an offence.

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NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has taken the opportunity in a statement to put every player and official in the NRL on notice over who they chose to have as friends and associates.

“This reflects poorly on the players involved and is a bad look for the game.”

“I would expect those who have received warnings to take them very seriously.

“The penalties for ignoring a warning are severe and we fully support the police in the action they have taken.

For Parramatta, it caps off a horror couple of weeks with the salary cap scandal continuing to take hold of the embattled club, along with missing their star player Kieran Foran due to mental health issues.

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