Burgess’ road rage attack revealed

Former Wigan Warriors forward George Burgess will not be convicted for a damaging property charge following a roadside incident.

Burgess, who left Wigan after just eight appearances, was charged by police in August following an altercation with a man in Wollongong.

The St George Illawarra Dragon was alleged to have damaged a man’s mobile phone by throwing it on the road, but Burgess felt his privacy had been invaded by him being filmed by the man.

The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to destroy or damage property at Wollongong Local Court before a magistrate dealt with charge without letting it get to a conviction.

The court was told Burgess had felt provoked by the other driver who had been filming him, prompting the ex-Rabbitohs forward to confront the stranger at the roadside.

Police allege a verbal argument broke out between the men before Burgess grabbed the other man’s phone and threw it on the roadway.

The court was told this week that Burgess had been driving to the pharmacist in a bid to alleviate the debilitating pain from a hip injury which had brought his Wigan career to an early end.

He has since made reparations to the man’s phone and accepted he should not have reacted in that way.