Sydney Swans: Lawyer for alleged sexual assault victims claims ‘leaders’ were in Melbourne hotel room

The lawyer representing two of three women at the centre of a Victoria Police investigation involving five Sydney Swans says the alleged victims were subjected to “the most disgusting actions and behaviour” that he has seen in his legal career.

Speaking to 3AW on Friday morning, Carbone Lawyers head of Personal Injury Law and Litigation John Karantzis, labelled the alleged sexual assault as “demeaning and abhorrent”.

“Can I just say that I am upset with what has been alleged, these women were subjected to the most disgusting actions and behaviour I have ever heard about in my 28 years as a lawyer,” Mr Karantzis told breakfast show host Tom Elliott.

“These women already have a difficult job and what they were subjected to, it is alleged, was demeaning, abhorrent and simply not moral or acceptable.”

Sydney has banned five players - Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon - for the rest of the AFL season for breaching club standards at the Pullman hotel in Melbourne’s east on Monday morning.

These sanctions are independent of an investigation being conducted by Victoria Police Sex Crimes Squad detectives.

This masthead does not suggest the players are guilty of any wrongdoing, only that they are assisting police with inquiries. No charges have been laid.

Mr Karantzis also claimed “leaders” were present inside the team hotel room at the time of the alleged assault.

“It’s more than five (men in the room) that’s for sure,” he said, without naming an exact number.

“More than five men and it’s alleged that there were even a few leaders in that room.”

When asked to clarify if the word “leaders” referred to on-field members of the club or “something else”, Mr Karantzis replied: “Something else,” without providing further detail.

At a media conference on Friday morning, Swans coach Dean Cox refused to clarify if staff were in the hotel room at the centre of the police investigation.

Cox refused to answer when he was asked if Swans staff, aside from the five players, were present in the room.