A third woman who joined five Sydney Swans players in a Melbourne hotel room on Monday morning is exploring legal action, with her lawyer saying she is navigating “an incredibly traumatic experience”.
Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon were stood down for the rest of the AFL season by the Swans this week for breaching the club’s standards, including drinking and bringing women back to their hotel after Sunday’s win over Essendon in Melbourne.
Victoria police said in a statement on Saturday they are continuing to investigate an alleged sexual assault early on Monday morning at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne, where the Sydney Swans were staying. None of the five Swans players have been arrested or charged and there is much detail about the allegations and its links to the team that remains unknown.
The Sydney Swans said on Saturday the club “supports the action taken by Victoria police in releasing today’s statement regarding the investigation”.
“The Sydney Swans categorically confirms that no member of staff is involved in the investigation,” the club said. “This includes being in the hotel room central to the police investigation. The club reiterates that no player has been interviewed by police at this stage.”
One of the women who joined five Swans players at the hotel in East Melbourne has engaged Slater and Gordon Lawyers and will explore lodging a civil claim, while Carbone Lawyers will reportedly represent two other women who were also in the room.
“Our client has had her entire world turned upside down and is now trying to navigate an incredibly traumatic experience,” Slater and Gordon senior lawyer Jackson Pannam said on Saturday.
Pannam said his client was the individual who contacted Victoria police immediately after the alleged sexual assault, and was continuing to speak with police for their investigations.
Any civil claim would be separate to any criminal proceedings.
“Everyone deserves to be safe going about their life, at home, at work, and in public spaces without risk of being assaulted or harmed,” Pannam said.
“We’re standing with our client to give her support at this difficult time, and to help her get the justice she deserves.”
Pannam told Guardian Australia it was “very early days” as his client explores a potential civil claim.
The lawyer representing two other women who joined the Swans players in the Melbourne hotel room told Nine newspapers on Friday the women would launch legal proceedings to claim damages for pain and suffering, psychological injury and economic loss.
“We are currently investigating the circumstances and preparing to commence legal proceedings against the club and potentially the individuals involved,” Manny Carbone, a partner at Carbone Lawyers, said.
“Our clients are extremely traumatised and feel that their dignity and personal rights have been seriously violated by the events of Monday.”
The five players apologised in relation to the club sanctions in a joint statement issued by the Swans on Wednesday evening. “We are deeply sorry to everyone involved,” they said. “We know that our behaviour has fallen well short of the standards expected of us and the values of our club.”
