'He would've been safer being hit by a car': NRL star Curtis Scott is awarded $100,000 after police wrongly tasered him for SLEEPING under a tree - as magistrate slams an officer's actions as 'terrifying'
NSW Police have been ordered to pay NRL star Curtis Scott $100,000 after he was handcuffed, tasered and pepper sprayed by officers for sleeping under a tree.
The Canberra Raiders centre was intoxicated after a lengthy drinking session on January 27 and fell asleep in Sydney's Moore Park on his way home.
He was originally charged with a litany of offences including assaulting an officer, but after police body cam footage was released the case against Scott fell apart.
Magistrate Jennifer Giles was scathing of the officer's heavy-handed conduct that almost derailed the 22-year-old's promising career.
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Canberra Raiders NRL player Curtis Scott leaves the Downing Centre Court in Sydney on Wednesday, September 9
Canberra Raiders centre Curtis Scott , 22, was tasered and pepper sprayed by police who found him asleep under a tree in Sydney's Moore Park following Australia Day celebrations on January 27
'I genuinely think Mr Scott might have been safer if he wandered onto the roadway and been hit by a car,' Ms Giles told the court, the Daily Telegraph reported.
'He would have at least still been free to use his hands, been upright and conscious and would have got an ambulance much quicker than he did with these police.
'He wouldn't have been blinded for 20 minutes and wouldn't have been electrocuted while lying on the ground.'
The rugby league player can be heard crying out in agony after being pepper sprayed and tasered by police who tried to move him.
One officer can be heard telling Scott that being pepper sprayed is 'not that bad' and laughs.
Ms Giles told the Downing Centre Court the charges brought by police had no real prospects of success and should never have been before the court.
Police were forced to withdraw five charges after camera footage was played to the court.
One of the allegations amounted to the footballer 'dreaminly' waving the officer's arms away as they were trying to wake the him, Ms Giles ruled.
Another glaring issue with the prosecution's case was that Scott was asleep when they arrested him and at no point did officers tell the young athlete he was under arrest.
Two minor charges for offensive behavior were also dismissed by the court with no conviction recorded.
The ruling comes just days after NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller told 2GB radio, he was sympathetic to police who turn up to deal with 'drunken idiots' every night.
'There were minutes and minutes where they were attempting to move him peacefully,' Mr Fuller said.
'The other option is this — you put a baton under each of his arms, you squeeze it down and you put him in the back of the truck, now that is no less painful than being sprayed.'
The harrowing public ordeal has taken a heavy toll on the mental state of Scott, who is now preparing to play finals football in one week's time.
'I'd never assault a police officer and that was probably the hardest thing, sitting on that for nine months - knowing you haven't done what they've said - and you've got the whole world coming down on your shoulders,' Scott previously told Seven News.
'Everybody on your back, making out that you're some monster, a cop basher. In the back of my mind, I knew if one of these charges stuck I'd be digging holes for the rest of my life.
'In myself I'm bitter, I'm bitter that everyone kind of just took their side and did not consider my side of the story.'
Despite the 'nightmare' at the hands of officers, Scott holds no ill will towards police and said they have 'the toughest job in the world'.
Ms Giles ruled that due to the unlawful arrest, police must pay Scott's entire $100,792.30 legal bill.
'I'd never assault a police officer and that was probably the hardest thing, sitting on that for nine months,' Scott said