SYDNEY - Lawyers for Wallabies star Quade Cooper have urged the public not to pre-judge their client after he was charged with burglary on the Gold Coast on Sunday.
Brisbane law firm Creevey Russell issued a statement yesterday saying investigations into the matter were far from complete and urgedan end to speculation about the circumstances surrounding the alleged offence.
"Given that Quade has been charged and the matter is before the court, we are limited in what we can say on Quade's behalf about the circumstances giving rise to the alleged offence," the statement read.
"Similarly, as much as he would like to, Quade is unable to make any comments to the media about the circumstances.
"However, we can say that the investigations that need to be undertaken in this matter are far from concluded and it would be unfair for anyone to pre-judge Quade or to speculate as to what in fact happened both prior to and at the time of the alleged offence.
"Quade, like everyone else, is entitled to have the circumstances fully investigated and, if the matter progresses to that point, is entitled to a fair trial."
The test and Queensland centre was released from Southport watchhouse on Sunday afternoon, charged with one count of burglary of a residence in Surfers Paradise on Sunday morning.
The 21-year-old is due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on December 11.
Reports said he had been apprehended at around 4am on Sunday after a resident found an entrance to his home damaged and Cooper allegedly removing personal property.
Cooper recently returned from a breakthrough Wallabies tour, where he played all four tests as Berrick Barnes' replacement at inside centre in Australia's grand slam quest.
He was fined A$10,000 ($12,798) by the Australian Rugby Union earlier this year after a taxi window was broken in Brisbane and was disciplined again after a food fight in Canberra.
