Ben Te’o says his reputation and image have suffered significantly despite police finding the State of Origin star had no case to answer over allegations of assault brought against him.
In a media statement issued on Friday, Te’o said he has suffered both personally and professionally over claims brought against him by Katie Lewis that he allegedly hit her and fractured her eye socket in a late-night incident in the Brisbane suburb of Ashgrove in April.
On Thursday Queensland Police dropped their investigation into the matter, saying no further action would be taken.
The NRL’s integrity unit also concluded that no action should be taken against Te’o who was not stood down from club or Origin football by the NRL over the claims and played in all three Origin games for the Maroons in their eighth straight interstate series win.
Te’o repeated his assertion that he had “acted appropriately” on the night in question but said his version of events had been proven.
“The allegations made against me by Kate Lewis and reported by various media outlets have caused me considerable distress, both on a personal and professional level,” Te’o said in the statement.
“Over the past three months, it has been very difficult to watch my name and character publicly criticised in response to allegations that I knew to be false. The allegations and the many reports issued by media outlets have placed a question mark over my reputation and my public image.
“From the outset, I have denied any wrongdoing and have been up front, open and honest with the Queensland Police Service, the NRL’s integrity unit and my club. I consider that I have given my full cooperation to these authorities during the investigation process which has now run its course.
“To the extent that any uncertainty remains, I again state that I acted appropriately on the evening in question and did not strike Ms Lewis as alleged. I believe that the outcome of the various investigations has validated my version of the events of that evening.”
Lewis repeated her claims on Thursday, after being informed police would not charge Te’o over the alleged incident.
“I know that he hit me … I know … (and) he knows that he did,” Lewis told the Nine Network.
“I would love to have him in front of me and to ask him the question and for him to look me in the eye.
“I got punched in the eye. But apparently there are stories out there that I actually fell on something.”
Te’o said he was considering legal action over the claims.
“While I would prefer to put this matter behind me, I am seeking legal advice as to my rights in the circumstances with a view to taking action against those who have sought to harm my reputation and public image without foundation,” he said.
Bulldog blue
Guest
Hey why shouldn't teo take it further n apply for defamation of character or maybe is it better to let sleeping dogs lie we all know that Katie didn't do this to herself n find it very peculiar why his club wasn't informed for so long of the incident if I was in his boots I wouldn't want it to receive anymore attention neither because I think he may find he does have a case to answer
Pot Stirrer
Guest
There alot of questions that the NRL fans would like answered as written by others, How come theses so called league commentators are not asking those questions but still talking about Dugan and Fergussons dramas
Football_illiterate
Guest
im here mate - dont worry about that. as i said above, you went off the deep end for absolutely zero reason.. there was nothing the guy you lambasted said that was incorrect.
Football_illiterate
Guest
actually i do.. you lambasted someone and referred to "getting the facts straight" and then never actually provided any other than what was in the public domain.. and he has now got off.. you are either well connected or know the Qld police better than most.. the facts i would like to know are: - how did she end up with a fractured eye socket? - why did the integrity unit/NRL not interview her? very strange sequence of events and timing for that matter..
Ryanno
Guest
Good for him to be found not guilty but it still doesn't explain how she got the black eye?? Did someone else give it to her? Did she give it to herself and set the whole thing up? I don't get it. I would hope some of the journos out there are following up the story to get to the truth.
Jake
Guest
The test will be if he carries on with the defamation case, If he doesnt one would have to ask why becuase its a very serious allegation and if it is False why is she now not being charged with making a false allegation that could destroy someones life ? If it was me and i was innocent i would be wanting her charged and compensated for the damage she has cuased, IF she lied. Oh and as someone else said what kind of integrety commision doesnt interview the supposed victim ?
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
I agree AR. They probably dug up enough dirt on her for Teo and the NRL to have plausible deniability. But each case should be taken on its merits. Even if she does have a history of being a drama queen or a woman of loose morals, doesn't mean this incident didn't happen, or that Teo didn't smack her in the face. Given the blokey-matey culture of professional sport, especially rugby league, you could hardly expect Boyd and Norman to be impartial and "dog" their mate. Even if it would be the honest and right thing to do.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Different tone used here EagleJack. Remember what I said a little while back?
Cameron
Roar Guru
Where is The Eye, Football_Illiterate and Boydy? Funny that, no where to be seen!
clipper
Guest
The courts decide who is innocent or not, police make arrests - they obviously thought there wasn't enough evidence for a conviction. I agree with oikee that players shouldn't put themselves in this position, but equally girls shouldn't either - especially if you are alone with a group of guys - it would be very hard to take it further with the NRL or AFL behind the players against just your word - as Damn Straight has pointed out above
Hoy
Roar Guru
Murky waters here, but given that he was the one that apparently called the police, you would have to imagine he is in the right. Plus, as bad as this will sound, I always have to be very suspicious of females who sell their story to TV before going to the police. What motive is there to go to TV first?
Australian Rules
Guest
It's a bit odd that the NRL integrity unit didn't even interview the girl.
Terry
Guest
She also aid there were pools of her blood on the hallway carpet that came from the facial attack from Ben. Does anyone really think that kind of abuse and evidence could be ignored and swept under the carpet, given the amount of media exposure?
Gaz
Guest
Your're innocent until proven guilty, Ben Teo is proven innocent by two separate entities one being the Queensland Police Force. He is within his rights to clear his family name and I for one hope he pursues this person and ensures no one else is put in this position again.
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
Some people do get charged and convicted from purely circumstantial evidence. Interestingly a lot of these would be people from lower socio-economic demographics. Probably because they don't have the fiscal and therefore legal resources available to them that NRL clubs and players have at their disposal. The DPP would have to weigh that up when they decide whether to pursue further prosecution. It sounds cynical, but that is the harsh reality and the nature of the beast. Even criminal law is a corporate business in some ways. It is an equation motivated by financial efficiency v the balance of probabilities. That's not to say I think Teo is guilty, but then I don't think anyone here or anywhere can unequivocally rule that out. But, on and for the record, there is no case to answer it seems.
Mitcher
Guest
Weidler went pretty hard in lionising the complainant. He's hitched is wagon to Dank as well. If the sharks go down surely this germ has to go. But then, who will isuue SBW's press releases?
Mitcher
Guest
What a disgrace of a comment. Would you like to forward the results of your own exhaustive investigation Mr Skellett? Since you seem unconvinced by the work of the police.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Thats bad form to call someone a rapist when they were exonerated. It would take a lot of control not to belt them. To be honest taking Lewis to court will not give him any sort of redemption and will not clear his name at all. There will stories about how Teo is being nasty and trying to cash in and counter claims that she is "a gold digger" and so on. The whole thing would be a tabloid's wet dream. Anybody who thinks that Lewis has got away with making false accusations is kidding themselves. Her name has been dragged through the mud as well and the "no case" to answer verdict will have people taunting her as a liar (although no case to answer does not mean that she wasn't hit. It could just mean the Police can find no evidence other than hearsay). Mr Teo should thing about it from her perspective as well and just reflect on how easy it is to get in compromising situations and move on. There is nothing to be gained by further legal action.
rossco
Guest
From another site this says it all: From the beginning I could not see how, if she got such a serious injury at the unit, the police attending did not see that and take it further. If there was no injury from that source then the rest of her story falls down. If there was an injury the police would not have let it go. Neither would they have let her find her own way out of the police station - they would have delivered her to a hospital. ergo: She sustained the injury later, at another place.
Dayer
Guest
Sorry OIKEE but TEO is 100% innocent as deemed by the LAW whilst the GIRL is 100% not innocent. Period.