Accused soccer star’s bid to return home

A Sydney soccer star embroiled in the A-League corruption scandal has lost out on a bid to travel freely to his native New Zealand amid fears he may not return.

Clayton Rhys Lewis appeared before Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday as he faced charges of corrupting betting outcomes and participating in a criminal group.

The 27-year-old midfielder was the third Macarthur Bulls A-League player charged over the scandal, alongside team leader Ulises Davila and midfielder Kearyn Baccus.

Police allege Mr Lewis was among players who deliberately obtained yellow cards during an A-League match between the Bulls and Sydney FC on December 9, 2023.

It is alleged the players deliberately affected the outcome of the betting market and were paid $10,000 by Mr Davila, who was directed by a South American syndicate.

Appearing before the court, Mr Lewis’s lawyer Zemarai Khatiz applied for an amendment to Mr Lewis’s bail conditions to allow him to travel to his native New Zealand.

Mr Khatiz put forward two possible amendments; in one, conditions prohibiting travel overseas and entering international departure points would be deleted.

In the other, Mr Lewis would be able to leave the country but would only be allowed to do so after providing seven days to 72 hours notice to NSW Police.

Mr Khatiz said repeated applications to return to his native New Zealand from western Sydney where he currently resides would result in costly legal fees.

The court was told the officer in charge of the investigation did not oppose the second option, but it had been objected to by the police prosecutor.

“The prosecution submits the primary variation is quite unusual in the sense that it’s simply unknown how and when travel will take place,” he said.

Magistrate Susan Horan ultimately denied the application, citing that the conditions did not adequately mitigate risks of failure to appear in court.

“I accept what Mr Khatiz is saying. He (Mr Lewis) is 27 years old with no criminal history or breaches of bail,” Ms Horan said in her judgment.

“He has been in NSW on-and-off since he was 12, but in reading the material and given the serious charges, it seems there is a risk of failure to appear.”

Speaking directly to Mr Lewis, Ms Horan directed the A-League player to apply again for a bail variation if he intended to travel to New Zealand.

“It seems to me a more appropriate course is for an application to be made to the court for when he wishes to travel and for that to be considered at that time,” she said.

“It might be that if he has no breaches and has no criminal history it may be granted, but it seems to me this type of open-ended bail condition is slightly problematic.

“The point being, Mr Lewis, is if you want to travel you will have to make an application yourself or through your solicitor and tell them when and where you want to travel.”

Mr Lewis represented New Zealand at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and was signed by MacArthur FC in May of last year after a decorated career in his native country.

Police allege Mr Davila used his role as captain to “encourage other Macarthur FC players to engage in conduct to obtain disciplinary cards”.

He was charged with participating in a criminal group and facilitating conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event.

He also faces two counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event.

None of Mr Lewis, Mr Davila, or Mr Baccus have entered pleas to the charges.

The matters of all three men are due back in court next month.

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