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Sonny Bill Williams warned not to go on the field
By Lisa Davies
August 14, 2008 10:35am
RUNAWAY rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams will be pursued for contempt of court if he walks on to the field for his French rugby union club within the next 24 hours.
An injunction ordered by the NSW Supreme Court was continued today, with lawyers for the NRL and Bulldogs telling court the former league star had been notified of it.
In a mention before the duty judge today, Bulldogs barrister Arthur Moses said if Williams played for Toulon in a trial match scheduled for tomorrow morning, the club would "have to take the next step in relation to contempt".
Within 24 hours of Williams playing, the court has granted the Bulldogs and NRL permission to initiate contempt of court proceedings.
In effect, Williams can then potentially be found to have defied the orders of the court - a criminal offence - for which punishments range from jail to seizure of assets.
Last week the court warned Williams off playing, with officials going to great lengths to serve an injunction on the star. He played anyway.
Williams had no legal representation in court today. The case will come back before the court on September 4.
Williams left Sydney on July 26 for Europe, having apparently dumped the Bulldogs for a better offer from the Toulon club, a two-year contract reported to be worth $3 million.
Sonny Bill Williams warned not to go on the field | The Daily Telegraph