Orange Hawks halfback Raymond Talimalie, 24, appeared before Wagga Local Court via video-link from a cell at the Bathurst Correctional Complex.

An alleged violent assault in Young last October saw Talimalie charged with five criminal offences, including recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and affray. 

Talimalie was released on bail under a set of strict conditions laid down by the Supreme Court, however, the young league star found himself back in jail when he was caught breaching his curfew on Saturday night.

Lawyer David Barron told the court Talimalie “foolishly” entered a licensed premises on Saturday after he was sentenced to a suspended two-year jail term by the Wollongong District Court one day earlier for an aggravated break and enter. 

“He shouldn’t have been out, he shouldn’t have been at a licensed premises, but he tells me that the reason for this was some friends who had been drinking wanted to go out, so he foolishly drove them,” Mr Barron said.

“He’d just been sentenced the day before and that, perhaps, should’ve put him more on his guard, but he let his guard down because of that.” 

Mr Barron added that Talimalie had a very strong support network back in Orange that could assist him if granted bail.

“He’s living with his football coach, who is keeping a very close eye on him,” he said.

“His football coach has a very real interest in keeping my client clean, sober, and well-behaved so he can continue being an asset to his team.”

However, Crown prosecutor Andrew Hanshaw directed the court’s attention to Talimalie’s criminal history, arguing he could not be trusted to abstain from reoffending if granted bail.

“He’d just been sentenced for an aggravated robbery charge … and when he was in New Zealand he committed a very serious offence that resulted in him being sentenced to 100 hours’ community service,” Mr Hanshaw said. 

“Then, within less than 48 hours, there is breach of his very strict bail conditions.” 

Talimalie is set to appear before Wagga District Court on August 17 so his trial date for the alleged attack in Young can be set, however, his lawyer pointed out that a trial would be unlikely before February next year.

Magistrate Christopher Halburd noted that the standard non-parole period for the offences with which Talimalie is charged is seven years’ jail, noting that he believed the Crown case to be “very strong”. 

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