Penrith star Taylan May faces court in domestic violence case

Penrith Panthers player Taylan May is scheduled to appear in Penrith Local Court on Tuesday, May 28th.

This follows his arrest on Saturday morning in connection to an alleged domestic violence incident that reportedly occurred last month.

Authorities confirmed the arrest of Taylan May at a Penrith residence 5 a.m.

The alleged incident occurred on April 8, 2024, when May purportedly assaulted a woman during an argument at a Werrington home.

Reports suggest that May struck the woman on her face and leg.

May has been charged with assault causing harm (related to domestic violence) and two counts of stalking/intimidation with intent to instil fear of physical harm (related to domestic violence).

Following his arrest, May was granted conditional bail and will be appearing in court alongside his wife, Jessica, who has lodged an Apprehended Violence Order against him.

The Penrith Panthers have issued a statement acknowledging the incident and confirming their cooperation with the NRL Integrity Unit during the process.

Despite these charges, May was initially included in Penrith’s lineup for their match against the Warriors during the NRL Magic Round on Sunday.

However, it is anticipated that he will be removed from the match.

Although the charges against May carry a penalty of less than 11 years, they do not fall under the NRL’s automatic stand-down policy.

Nonetheless, the NRL has the discretion to bench a player, as evidenced by Parramatta’s Dylan Browns case year.

This recent incident comes after May’s conviction for assaulting a fan during Penrith’s grand final celebrations in 2021.

In that instance, May was found guilty of grabbing an 18-year-old man by the collar and pulling him to the ground, resulting in the man hitting his head on the floor and sustaining a sprained neck.

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin criticised May’s actions as “reprehensible” and “cowardly,” imposing a $1,000 compensation payment to the victim and a $1,000 fine.

As legal proceedings progress, both the Panthers and the NRL will closely watch developments.

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