Police v Wayne Riley & Jeanette Riley (2011)

In this matter Greg Walsh acted for International Australian Champion Golfer, Wayne Riley, and his mother who were charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.

The charges arose as a result of an incident after Wayne’s father, Graham Riley, 71, was involved in an altercation with a youth two days before Christmas in 2010.

Wayne who has played in the European Golf Circuit for 20 years and has been a British Television Sports Commentator, denied emphatically that he was guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and affray. His mother Jeanette also strenuously denied her guilt.

The incident occurred when the Riley family were on their way to a local restaurant at Oatley when the youth was involved in a ‘push and shove’ incident with Wayne’s father.

The 1991 Australian Open Champion Golfer had been heading to a bottle shop when the scuffle between his father and the youth occurred. On his return to where his father was with the youth, Wayne allegedly got into an altercation with the youth. A number of neighbours, including a police officer, came onto the scene. The Court then heard that Mrs Riley also became involved and ended up on the ground.

The case was heard by Magistrate Trad at Sutherland Local Court over two days. Her honour found that Mrs Riley had tried to stop the fight between her son and the youth and was pushed away. The youth had grabbed Mrs Riley hitting her chest and as she fell she feared she would be hit again and she struck out with her feet. She had not deliberately kicked the youth, whose head by this time was on the ground. The youth had also struck the golfer and the two had struggled with Wayne acting in self defence.

Greg Walsh made a successful application for costs.