Former Penrith Panther Taylan May’s domestic violence case dropped after victim fails to appear in court

Stood-down NRL star Taylan May has had domestic violence charges dropped after the wife he allegedly punched did not show up to court.

Police stopped him six times in 24 hours in the lead-up to his latest court appearance, prompting suggestions they had been “all over” the ex-Penrith Panthers player before the case was dismissed.

May, 23, had pleaded not guilty to domestic violence-related charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of stalking and intimidation over alleged incidents in April and May.

The allegations included that he punched his wife in the eye.

May played 30 NRL games for the Penrith Panthers after debuting in 2021 and represented Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

But he has been out of the game since being stood down under the NRL’s no-fault policy while he was facing criminal charges.

He was released by the Panthers in July after threatening to sue the club for trying to terminate his contract.

May was on bail ahead of a scheduled hearing in Penrith Local Court on Monday.

But the woman he was accused of assaulting did not come to court and neither did her sister, a key witness in the prosecution case.

While a medical certificate was provided by the witness to explain her absence, police were unable to contact the complainant.

Prosecutors tried to adjourn the case, but May’s barrister Phillip Boulten SC argued the circumstances were unlikely to change if there was another court date.

“There is no suggestion … that my client has been guilty of putting pressure on her,” Mr Boulten said.

“Enough is enough. Can we just allow these people to move on? It’s not going to be different next time.”

Magistrate Stephen Corry said it was possible to infer the alleged victim had chosen not to come to court, as he refused the adjournment request.

“I can’t see there’s any prospect that the position would be any different on the next occasion,” he said.

The decision prompted prosecutors to withdraw the charges.

May remains subject to an apprehended violence order for six months.

Allegations that he twice breached an earlier order were also dropped after the court heard it had been amended to allow contact under certain conditions.

May’s wife had indicated in July, when seeking to have AVO conditions changed, that she wanted to drop the charges, Mr Boulten added.

Nevertheless, police “went into overdrive” about the alleged breaches and had been “all over (May)“ in the lead-up to his court appearance, the barrister said.

“He’s been stopped six times by police in the last 24 hours,” Mr Boulten said.

A representative of the NRL integrity unit also observed the proceedings.

An unnamed Sydney-based club had expressed interest in signing May after his release from the Panthers, it was reported earlier in March.

His older brother Terrell May plays for the Wests Tigers.

May did not comment as he left court, smiling from the passenger seat of a supporter’s black BMW as they drove away.

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