Sonny Bill Served Legal Papers
August 8, 2008
SONNY Bill Williams has been served legal documents outlining the NSW Supreme Court injunction that bans him from playing another rugby union match in France.
The defecting former NRL rugby league star hid from legal paper serving staff in the lead-up to his debut with the Toulon club on Friday night but was confronted after the game.
NRL lawyer Tony O’Reilly said he had received initial information that Williams was intercepted but refused the documents when they were extended to him.
O’Reilly said the NSW Supreme Court would be informed of the circumstances and he expects the court to accept that Williams was properly served.
“We would expect him to abide by it once he’s properly served and he was, we believe, after the game,” O’Reilly said.
“He didn’t accept the documents that were tried to be handed to him so we may have to approach the court to confirm that they’re happy with it.
“Otherwise, if someone didn’t want to be served, you’d never be able to serve them.”
O’Reilly said the NRL will receive a full report on Monday of Williams being served.
The 23-year-old left Australia without warning two weeks ago, just one year into his five-year deal with the Bulldogs to accept a more lucrative deal with Toulon.
O’Reilly assumed Williams and the club knew the injunction had been granted and attempts would be made to serve Williams the court documents.
Williams did not travel on the team bus, he did not warm up on the field with the team and when he eventually did step on to the playing field he did so from the dressing room, Mr O’Reilly noted.
“The way they conducted themselves was consistent with him and the club having knowledge of the order,” O’Reilly said.
“If he plays again then we will obviously be informing the court and then it’s a matter for the court to decide what it does in those circumstances.”
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