Tim Paine likely to be asked producing evidence in court amid sexting scandal row

Former Australian captain Tim Paine, who stepped away from the leadership role for Australia last year following a sexting scandal that took place in 2017, is on the verge of giving evidence on the matter in the Federal Court. A former Cricket Tasmania employee, Renee Ferguson, had accused Paine of sending an unsolicited picture of his genitals during the Brisbane Test in the 2017 Ashes.

Paine has represented Australia in 35 Tests, 35 ODIs, and 12 T20 internationals so far and he did a decent job as leader, after Steve Smith and David Warner had been suspended for the ball-tampering scandal. However, the sexual harassment allegations against him have put the 37-year-old in serious trouble and could put his international cricket career at stake.

Apart from Paine, Cricket Tasmania’s high-performance manager, Shannon Tubb, had also been accused by Ferguson of sending her unsolicited sexual messages. Ferguson claimed the alleged harassment to be “relentless and systemic” and wanted the matter to be taken forward after her barrister, Mark McKenney’s, mediation talks between the two parties did not work.

Four individuals could be called as witnesses: Cricket Tasmania representative

Bruce McTaggart SC had mentioned that four individuals from Cricket Tasmania, which include Paine and Tubb who were involved in sexual harassment allegations of Ms. Ferguson, could be called up to the court for providing evidence on the matter. He also added that there might be a possibility of calling up four staff members who had already known the matter and warned the hearing could involve complex medical questions.

“Four individuals from the organization who allegedly sexually harassed Ms. Ferguson between 2015 and 2017 – including Tubb and Paine – could be called as witnesses if the matter went to trial,” McTaggart SC, representing Cricket Tasmania said as quoted by Daily Mail.

“Possible witness list could also include four other Cricket Tasmania staff members Ms. Ferguson claims to have reported the matter to and that a contested hearing could involve “complex medical questions”,” he added.

The matter is also expected to be taken up by the court again on May 10.