Canterbury Bulldogs utility Reni Maitua has been placed on an 18 month good behaviour bond after being found guilty of intimidating a taxi driver in November 2013.
Maitua’s defense was that he had been going through a tough time in his life with personal issue’s and injury that could have put an end to his football career. His lawyer has been seeking to have the case handed under mental health legislation that would have seen Maitua having to go through a treatment plan that also would have seen no conviction recorded.
Magistrate Mark Buscombe decided against that course of action however. Maitua pleased guilty, received an 18 month good behaviour bond, and no conviction will be recorded.
It will be interesting to see how the Bulldogs and the NRL handles this case. This is an incident that hasn’t received too much press coverage.
Once again we find ourselves in a situation where the game has to make a moral judgment on an off field offense. Todd Carney just got sacked for urinating into his own mouth. He didn’t hurt anyone. He didn’t intimidate anyone. He wasn’t required to defend himself in court.
How does that all of line up with Maitua pleading guilty to intimidating a 52 year old taxi driver? I guess we will soon find out…
