Ex-Whitehaven player to wear anti-drink device after attack

Jessie Joe Parker played 13 time for Papua New Guinea and more than 200 games for Whitehaven

A former rugby league international who attacked his ex-girlfriend and then pressured her to withdraw support from prosecutors has been ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet.

Papua New Guinea player Jessie Joe Parker, 36, was "very drunk" when he hit his former partner in a Whitehaven bar, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

Parker played more than 200 games for Whitehaven RLFC between 2012 and 2021.

He admitted assault and perverting the court of justice.

'I will kill you'

Parker, of Solomon Court, Whitehaven, who played 13 times for his country, must complete 150 hours' unpaid work and wear an alcohol abstinence monitoring bracelet for 100 days after a judge concluded he had a problem with drinking.

The court heard he confronted the woman, who knew he was "very argumentative" when he was drunk, in Joe Bananas bar in Whitehaven on 6 February.

After Papua New Guinea-born Parker made reference to a new visa, he was ejected due to his drunken state but his ex was left "shaking", the court was told.

She then felt him striking her in the back from behind with a clenched fist.

"He got right in her face and said words to the effect of 'if you don't let me see (a child), I will kill you'," prosecutor Gerard Rogerson said, adding: "She says she was petrified."

She described his body language as being aggressive and him as "really angry".

In an impact statement, she later added: "I do not want him back at my house at any point.

"No-one has the right to treat me like this."

'Problem is drink'

Parker was arrested but later sent her numerous messages, one saying "thank you for stopping my visa" and another "I hate you for the rest of my life".

Mr Rogerson said there was also a message that "asked her to drop the charges".

Sean Harkin, mitigating, said Parker's actions were "unsophisticated" and "not successful" and the former Whitehaven centre had received "glowing character references" from the chairman, current and former board members and ex-team-mates.

Judge Nicholas Barker told Parker: "Your problem, it seems to me, is drink.

"When you drink, you don't control your behaviour and when someone says 'no', you don't take 'no' for an answer."

Parker was also banned from contacting the woman for three years.