Joel Monaghan Legal threat, my RESPONSE

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Robbo

I have to say the response to the Joel Monaghan PHOTO scandal has been nothing short of incredible. I reported on a story I read early in the piece and then followed up online with it and published a piece here. To say I was surprised by the response is an understatement. Within an hour the post had over 5000 hits and by the end of the day over 50,000. Within 2 days it was over 100,000 hits and many hundred replies.Quite a few I have had to remove for their pure vile and disgusting content.

I also placed a poll to get a gauge on what my readers felt about the situation and a copy of the current results are posted here. I thought the questions I posted were fair, allowing for a vote for several views on the matter.

I asked should Canberra Raiders centre Joel Monaghan be sacked after his Mad Monday Incident? I think it is a true reflection of Australians that 43.23% of the vote was “No, silly but no harm done”. In second place with 29.01% was “Yes it’s appalling” and 3rd with 27.76% of the vote was “YES, and be charged with criminal offences“

I wrote that poll around the day I posted and a lot has happened since. Obviously Joel has quit the Raiders and taking a humiliating hit.

Yet in the days since I would argue the fact “No harm done”…

This has become world wide news, a spotlight on one of Australia’s major sports.In deed one of its star players. It has seen to reflect on Rugby league in general (after many outrageous, unsavoury and appalling acts by sports people in recent years) This incident has turned many parents off ever allowing their children to play the game, if this is how the stars of game behave. It affects country clubs struggling for sponsorship, it effects other sports as all sports-people are thrown into the same “Spoilt overpaid get away with anything” basket.

Unfortunate as it is, it IS Joel that has been cast in this position, I have read each and every reply to this thread and it is obvious a lot of people feel that many are doing other things which are most probably worse that this. Mistreatment of women, the public, establishments they frequent etc, purely because they are footballers (replace with other sports). Whilst I can guarantee there has been worse out there is that how we are going to gauge any current behaviour? I say no, I also say to the authorities to get off there arses and start charging the subjects of these idiotic acts, just like they do in normal society and not give these guys a free pass “because they are a GOOD bloke” or whatever.

Jail is full of good blokes who stuffed up. My understanding is incredibly, Because this occurred in the A.C.T (Canberra) the act of Bestiality is not a criminal offence. In other Australian states it is, and criminal charges could and would be laid.

To hide behind the simulated act is a cop-out. A bloke holding a knife, pretending to rob someone as a joke would not be looked upon lightly by the law so why should anyone in this situation?

Some people quite close to Joel have written, basically demanding (actually threatening) I remove the original story and photos . Whilst I understand their grief as a family ( I am a parent myself) I don’t feel I should. So I am asking readers who hopefully have read this to vote in a new poll on whether I should remove the thread.

(I also want to make it aware, I volunteer my time, and DO NOT and will not receive any financial benefit from publishing this blog. I do it to keep the public informed)

Regards

Robbo

Joel Monaghan quits over dog prank disgrace

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Robbo

Joel Monaghan quits scroll for video of apology

Obviously packing some heat in this one ... Joel Monaghan all dressed up for the afternoon of drinking

JOEL Monaghan has quit the Raiders over his lewd photo scandal, with the emotional centre struggling through a press conference today.

Flanked by teammates, officials and his mother and father, Monaghan broke down as he read a prepared statement.

He tried time and again to finish the press conference but was simply too emotional, with manager Jim Banaghan finishing on his player’s behalf.

Monaghan walked away from the NRL after being photographed simulating a lewd act with a dog.

“I don’t want to damage this great club anymore because of this stupid prank, ” Monaghan said.

Monaghan was heard to mumble “this is torture” under his breath as he fought back tears.

“There are no hard feelings or grudges towards anyone else,” he said.

“They’re my actions and I’m totally responsible.

“I’ll have to handle the jokes and taunts which is understandable, but the players shouldn’t have to put up with pressure that my ongoing presence will bring.

“Alcohol is no excuse. I’d love more than anything to take it back but I can’t.” The decision came after a meeting with club CEO Don Furner this morning.

Furner told the press conference that Monaghan – who will seek a start in the English Super League next season – would one day return to play at the club.

“Joel is welcome back at this club and I hope he does come back one day,” Furner said.

“I hope he is welcome back in Canberra because he’s done a lot of good in this city.

“He’s had to pay a very high price for a party prank at somebody’s house.”

With Monaghan’s exit confirmed, Furner denied there would be a witchhunt to find those responsible for putting the lewd photograph in the public domain.

“I can assure everybody here that we don’t know who took the photo, if it was one of our players,” Furner said.

“There’s no way in the world that they would want this to happen to Joel, there’s no way in the world that one of our players would have uploaded this onto a website and wanted this to happen to Joel.”

David Gallop later released a statement on behalf of the NRL describing the events that led to Monaghan’s resignation as a sad affair for all concerned.

“Joel has today paid a heavy price in standing down from the Raiders and I think people are entitled to acknowledge both his contrition and the way he has handled things over the last couple of days,” Gallop said.

“It is a poignant reminder though that people need to think before they act, even when it is seemingly done in jest.

“In light of the decisions Joel has taken there does not appear to be a need for further action from the NRL.

“No doubt there will be others thinking of the extra pain they have caused through social media and they will have to wrestle with that outcome, albeit it is difficult to pursue any action in relation to them.

“It is too early to start talking about when Joel could return to the NRL competition, that is something we would address at a later time.”

Bestiality is not illegal in the ACT???

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Robbo

Canberra Raiders player Joel Monaghan at the club

As far as any criminal charges go against Joel Monaghan check this out…“Bestiality is not illegal in the ACT but the RSPCA has described the photo as “sickening and disgusting” and has reportedly written a letter to ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope demanding similar acts be outlawed in the future.”

Now I am not saying that his intention was to do anything other than get a cheap laugh from his other immature mates but it worries me that the REAL sick people out there can go around the ACT bonking animals and it is legal??? WTF

There is no mention of bestiality in the ACT Crimes Act but in the NSW Crimes Act those who commit an act of bestiality with any animal are liable to imprisonment for 14 years.

An ACT Policing spokeswoman said: “At this stage police understand the incident occurred in ACT and it does not appear that any offence has been committed under ACT laws.”

Read the main story on my blog here I think this bloke is really going to need some support, we do not want it ending in tragedy, he obviously acknowledges what a huge mistake it was he made