Frightening footage of a footy star’s violent rampage through New York has been revealed, as his victims claim he hasn’t paid a cent in compensation for the night he made them fear for their lives.
The newly released CCTV footage shows Brisbane Broncos player Matt Lodge, 23, violently assaulting Joe Cartright while his partner and young son hid in the bathroom of their Upper Westside apartment in Manhattan about 4am on October 16, 2015.
Lodge is seen threatening German tourists outside the apartment reportedly asking if they were going to die, before telling them ‘tonight is the night you are going to die’.
Frightening footage of Matt Lodge’s violent rampage through New York has been revealed (pictured)
Mr Cartright is then seen opening the door to his apartment block to investigate what was happening.
In the footage obtained by Channel Nine, Lodge is then seen charging into the flat before unleashing blow upon blow on his victim, who was a complete stranger to him.
The attack, in which Lodge puts Mr Cartright in a headlock and repeatedly punches him, lasts for a terrifying 15 minutes.
During the attack on Mr Cartright, Lodge is seen entering the family apartment where he reportedly terrorised Mr Cartright’s family.
His frightened partner Ruth Fowler and their nine-year-old son were forced to hide in the bathroom, where they said they were in fear for their lives.
Ruth Fowler said her son was so scared he asked if he was going to die.
In the footage obtained by Channel Nine , Lodge is seen charging into the flat before unleashing blow upon blow on his victim, who was a complete stranger to him
The attack, in which Lodge puts Mr Cartright in a headlock and repeatedly punches him, lasts for a terrifying 15 minutes
Mr Cartright’s partner Ruth Fowler (together) and their nine-year-old son were forced to hide in the bathroom, where they said they were in fear of their lives
Lodge was arrested when New York police were called to the apartment.
He spent two weeks in a US prison before pleading guilty to assault.
The judge ordered him to pay $1.6 million to his victims, and sent him back to Australia on the conditions he needed to perform community service and undergo anger and alcohol management courses.
Three years after the violent attack, Lodge’s victims claim he never paid the $1.6 million he owed in compensation.
‘We’re looking for him to take responsibility for his actions, to have some justice in this,’ Mr Cartright said.
‘We’re trying to move on. We’d like to put it behind us. We’ve moved away from the home where the incident occurred. It’s obviously something that will live with us for the rest of our lives,’ Mrs Fowler told Channel Nine.
Lodge (in the blue shirt) can be seen repeatedly punching his victim in the frightening footage
They questioned why Lodge, the Broncos, nor the NRL made provisions to pay the money.
Lodge has recently been signed to a $100,000 annual deal with the Broncos.
Broncos CEO Paul White said he signed Lodge because he already ‘paid an enormous price’ for his crime.
Mr White said the responsibility to pay the compensation ultimately lay with Lodge himself.
Mr Cartright and Mrs Fowler also claimed Lodge had not apologised for the drunken rampage.
‘He’s not reached out to us personally in any form or any way,’ Mrs Fowler told Nine.
The judge ordered Lodge (pictured) to pay $1.6 million to his victims, and sent him back to Australia on the conditions he needed to perform community service and undergo anger and alcohol management courses
But a letter written by Lodge and published by The Courier-Mail on Friday, proves the 23-year-old sportsman did apologise.
Four months after the attack, Lodge sent a letter to New York Assistant District Attorney Christopher Hirsch, and asked for it to be passed on to his victims.
‘Firstly, I want to tell them that I am deeply sorry for my actions,’ he said.
‘I was highly intoxicated that night, but I do know right from wrong. I want to make it clear that the person who they saw and encountered on that night is not who I am when I am sober, nor who I want to be.
‘While I cannot under what happened, I can assure them that I will never be involved in another incident like this.’
Four months after the attack, Lodge (pictured) sent a letter to New York Assistant District Attorney Christopher Hirsch, and asked for it to be passed on to his victims
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg earlier this week said Lodge was in discussion to repay his victims – a claim on Friday disputed by Cartright’s lawyers.
‘The NRL based its sanctions on the police charges which had seen Lodge out of the game for more than two years,’ an NRL spokesman said.
The spokesman also confirmed the governing body had seen the footage of Lodge assaulting his victims and took it into account when imposing his penalty.
The 22-year-old has a disturbing rap sheet including in May 2014 being suspended for two games for writing ‘c***’ on his wrist strapping during an under-20s State of Origin game.
In early 2015 he was stood down by the Tigers and fined $5000 for an altercation in Kings Cross.
In July that year he was banned by Penrith Junior Rugby League for the remainder of the year for his involvement in an incident alongside Andrew and David Fifita during a junior match.