Former league centre Michael Jennings has denied accusations that he struck a car whilst intoxicated, with his lawyer offering up an outlandish explanation.
Jennings, who is being sued by his ex-wife Kirra Michelle Wilden for abuse during their relationship, rejected claims of car-punching via his lawyer Michelle Campbell in Monday's court proceedings.
Text messages from New Years Eve 2013 between the pair were read to the court, with Wilden's messages painting a picture of Jennings' drunken behaviour.
“I’m over it, I’m not putting up with it anymore,” Ms Wilden said in her text.
“You were acting crazy, punching the car and burning your leg hair off.
“I’m not putting up with it.”
However, Ms Campbell denied that her client meant to punch the vehicle in anger, instead putting it down to swiping a spider away that was on the vehicle.
“It possibly is, your honour - there is an alternative available,” Ms Campbell said.
“There’s the message that follows that talks about punching the car.
“There’s messages the night before that talks about the plaintiff going to the car to get a spider, which offers an alternative explanation to the plaintiff punching the car.”
Wilden is seeking damages for personal injuries and has claimed that Jennings allegedly sexually assaulted her in multiple instances as well as verbally abusing her.
Despite Wilden claiming that her ex-husband had a bad relationship with alcohol and drugs, Jennings has too denied this and pointed to extended stints of sobriety.
Wilden's lawyer Jeremy Morris has claimed his client is entitled to a minimum of $200,000 in damages and $40,000 for future therapy and medical treatment as a result of Jennings' alleged actions.
The trial is still ongoing with a judgement from Judge Wilson set to be handed down before the end of the year.
