No CCTV on Tiger 'assault'Samantha Lane
September 9, 2011ASSAULT allegations by a woman claiming Tiger Angus Graham ''hit'' her in a backpacker pub during post-season celebrations remain unsubstantiated following Richmond's review of security footage.
Tigers' football boss Craig Cameron, who is heading Richmond's investigation into the events that followed the private gathering of the playing group on Monday afternoon and continued late into that evening, told The Age last night that the surveillance tape from North Melbourne's Turf Club Hotel had been scoured on Tuesday.
He said there was nothing in the footage that suggested the accusations of a 21-year-old woman, who registered the alleged assault with a newspaper rather than authorities, were true.
''A representative of the club went to the Turf Club Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, reviewed footage and spoke to club management about the allegations that were made,'' Cameron said.
It is The Age's understanding that the representative is not a Richmond employee as such, but an expert who was enlisted by the club to investigate the sensitive case.
Victoria Police, while aware of reports of the alleged incident, had received no related complaints yesterday. Management of the Turf Club, where Graham and a handful of Tiger players continued drinking on Monday night after an organised post-season gathering earlier in the day, also said no grievance had been lodged or noticed by venue staff.
The complaining woman told a newspaper yesterday that Graham poured a drink over her and ''hit'' her on the cheek. She has alleged the incident occurred around midnight.
Tiger officials have only been able to question Graham by phone as he has returned home to King Island in Tasmania. The 47-game player has told the club he cannot recall any incident with a female at the hotel. Questioning of the handful of players who were with Graham at the time of the alleged incident has not enlightened Richmond bosses further.
As of last night, Graham, 24, had not been asked to return to Melbourne, and a Richmond spokesman indicated the interrogation of the player had been taken as far as possible.
A Turf Club manager who was working at the pub on Monday night, told The Age yesterday that nothing untoward had been reported to the venue and, as a consequence, the hotel had not seen fit to review security footage, which was captured by as many as 20 security cameras.
He estimated there were 10 security and 12 bar staff working at the bar on Monday and added: ''We just don't miss things like this.
''I do have security cameras, but … nothing has been reported so there's nothing to look at … I don't know what he (Graham) looks like, I don't know what she looks like, so where would I start when I've got 16 or 20 security cameras here?''
The AFL's Sue Clark, who manages the league's Respect and Responsibility code that addresses violence against women, is monitoring Richmond's investigation into the Graham case.
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said yesterday that a complaint of such a nature should be taken up with authorities.
''If it is true, then hopefully it will be forwarded to the police because they are the appropriate body to deal with it from a legal perspective.''
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