'My son has gone silly, he has a knife': Rugby league enforcer's mother makes panicked phone call to police before officers are forced to tase him
- O'Donnell's mother made desperate call to police due to son's erratic behaviour
- She told police it was an emergency situation and her son had 'gone silly'
- O'Donnell was found guilty of four offenses committed on June 3 last year
The mother of former rugby league enforcer Luke O'Donnell made a panicked phone call to police before officers arrived and were forced to taser him.
The 38-year-old former State of Origin star became violent in his home in Clovelly, Sydney, after a Chinese meal with his parents and girlfriend on June 3 last year.
A recording of the desperate emergency call O'Donnell's panicked mother Diane made to police was released after the footy player was convicted on Wednesday.
Ms O'Donnell asked police to 'hurry' and described the situation as an 'emergency', the Daily Telegraph reported.
In the recording Diane O'Donnell can be heard saying: 'My son has gone silly, he had a knife, he's been drinking. I don't know he's just gone crazy smashing up…'
Former rugby league enforcer Luke O'Donnell had to be tasered and pinned to the ground after he assaulted a female officer
The 38-year-old former NRL player became 'aggressive' and 'violent' in his home in Clovelly, Sydney
O'Donnell held a knife to his own chin and hung out of a three-storey window before six police officers arrived, the court had previously heard.
The operator tried to establish whether O'Donnell was armed during the desperate phone call.
'Did you say he has a knife on him?' they asked.
'Are you there?'
'Does he have a knife?'
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His mother replied: 'No, not at the moment.'
She then began crying as she admitted she 'didn't know' whether her son had a weapon on him or not.
'I think he needs medicating. I don't know. I'm sorry,' she can be heard saying.
Later in the phone call she told the operator her son had calmed down and the arrival of police could inflame the situation.
O'Donnell held a knife to his own chin and hung out of a three-storey window before six police officers arrived, the court had previously heard
'I think he needs medicating. I don't know. I'm sorry,' she can be heard saying
'I think he's calmed down, the police coming might make him worse I don't know,' she says.
'It's not coming like a SWAT team and all that are they?'
O'Donnell was convicted of four offences, including assaulting a senior police officer, at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.
Footage from the body camera of one of the officers was shown in court.
The footage showed O'Donnell's parents, his distressed girlfriend and all six officers attempt to calm him down and subdue him.
O'Donnell had to be tasered and pinned to the ground after he assaulted a female officer.
The footage showed O'Donnell's parents, his distressed girlfriend and all six officers attempt to calm him down and subdue him. Pictured: O'Donnell in custody
Despite their best efforts, O'Donnell remained distressed throughout the entire ordeal, reported the Daily Telegraph.
'Listen here you c*** you're not putting handcuffs on me I'll f****** smash the f*** out of you get off me,' he said.
He continued: 'C*** get off me, go back to Goulburn police school you p****.'
He proceeded to call a female police officer a 'f****** c***' and drunkenly attacked her as she tried to calm him down.
His girlfriend, who can be heard in the footage screaming and crying, stood by O'Donnell during his most recent court appearance.
His barrister Stephen Lawrence applied for a dismissal of all charges on the grounds of mental illness.
But Magistrate Philip Stewart rejected the application, saying: 'He was not getting his way with police and he was angry about that.'
O'Donnell played 117 games for the Cowboys before retiring on a high after a grand final win with Roosters in 2013
The former Sydney Roosters and North Queensland Cowboys star was charged with intimidation, causing malicious damage, assaulting a female senior constable executing her duty and resisting arrest.
Magistrate Stewart fined O'Donnell $1,600 and placed him on a one year community corrections order.
He is required to abstain from drugs and will be supervised for nine months.
O'Donnell played 117 games for the Cowboys before retiring on a high after a grand final win with Roosters in 2013.
He later opened a chicken shop called Tub & Kilo in Rosebery.
