The former partner of disgraced NRL player Curtis Scott has successfully imposed sanctions on the Melbourne Storm psychologist who refused to testify against him in court.
Tay-Leiha Clark was assaulted by Scott, a convicted domestic violence offender, in 2018 when she was a Melbourne Storm player.
The former NRL player’s partner then turned to psychologist Jacqueline Louder for help, but the Melbourne Storm employee gave “weak” testimony in court.
Louder has worked as a sports and exercise psychologist with the Melbourne Storm since 2017 and AFL club Collingwood since 2018.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he still works at both football clubs.
In the complaint, Clark claimed Louder was aware of the alleged physical and verbal abuse he suffered at the hands of Scott during his time at the Melbourne Storm.
But he refused to retract that knowledge in court, leading to a 12-month investigation by Australia’s health watchdog.
Scott was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and intimidating Clark in 2022.
Tay-Leiha Clark lodged a complaint with Australian health watchdog AHPRA
Court heard evidence from Melbourne Storm psychologist during Scott trial
Scott was found guilty of three separate charges and his appeal was unsuccessful.
Magistrate Daniel Covington ruled the former NRL star assaulted Clark during an incident at his parents’ home in Sylvania, causing injuries to his head, forearm and wrist.
Additionally, it was discovered that while on holiday at Lake Conjola on the New South Wales south coast, Scott knocked Clark to the ground.
He was also found guilty of threatening to kill both Clark and himself during a verbal altercation, after which he intentionally crashed his car into a tree.
However, Scott was cleared of other charges, including an allegation of choking Clark during an argument on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final.
He failed to have the decision overturned on appeal and was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order and a $1,400 fine.
Scott was sacked by the Canberra Raiders before his assault trial and the NRL did not consider his re-registration after the verdict.
He is currently trying to build a career in boxing and recently knocked out former AFL star Barry Hall.
Curtis Scott was a promising NRL player on the brink of State of Origin selection
Scott is now trying to establish a career in boxing and recently knocked out AFL bad boy Barry Hall at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.
Louder gave evidence in court during Scott’s trial, but Clark claimed in her AHPRA complaint that Storm’s psychologist knew more than she testified.
District Court Judge Alister Abadee described Louder’s evidence as “inherently weak” during Scott’s appeal in 2023.
Now, Clark has taken to social media alleging that Louder has been sanctioned by AHPRA.
“The Melbourne Storm psychologist who I reported my abuse to in 2018 was sanctioned by APHRA this week after a nearly 12-month investigation,” he posted on social media platform X.
“Let this be a reminder that silence and complicity have no place in the fight against domestic violence.”
Tay-Leiha Clark posted this message on social media after conditions were imposed on Melbourne Storm psychologist
The Melbourne Storm, who will play in the NRL Grand Final on Sunday against the Penrith Panthers, have been contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency confirmed conditions had been placed on Loader’s registration.
The Australian Psychology Board has ordered Loader to work under the supervision of another psychologist in the fields of consent, confidentiality, multiple relationships, conflicts of interest, maintaining boundaries and recognizing and managing domestic violence concerns and familiar.
You must comply with mandatory reporting obligations and continue until the board removes the conditions.
Scott found a lifeline in the NRL with the Canberra Raiders but was sacked over a separate incident before his domestic violence trial.
Scott was convicted of domestic violence charges in 2022 and was not considered for re-registration by the NRL.
Loader is also restricted to practicing only at her current places of employment, Melbourne Storm, Collingwood Football Club and her private practice, and cannot operate in a senior or supervisory position until the conditions are removed.
“On 1 October 2024, the Psychological Council of Australia placed conditions on Jacqueline Louder’s registration,” the spokesperson said.
‘Details of those conditions are on AHPRA’s register of professionals.
“We cannot comment on individual cases, except to the extent that the information is in the public domain.”
Louder provided a statement to police in 2022 that was used in court during Scott’s trial, where Storm wrote that she never saw any physical violence between the then-couple.
He also wrote that neither party had indicated that any physical harm had occurred between them.
“I understood that this was a very emotional relationship that drove most of their arguments,” he wrote.
“I was referring to emotional security when I talked about security.”
During Scott’s appeal, Judge Abadee said that “whether intentional or not,” Louder was in a position of “actual or potentially conflicting duties,” balancing her role as Storm’s psychologist to the appellant and as a confidant to the plaintiff.
