Tim Paine sexting accuser, Renne Ferguson, was probed over several lines on Tuesday.
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Renee Ferguson, the woman, who accused former Australia Test captain Tim Paine of sexting with her has been probed over her background and pub jobs in Melbourne. Feguson had launched a complaint alleging that she was subjected to unsolicited messages from the Australia cricketer while she was working with Cricket Tasmania between 2015 and 2017. Ferguson and Paine were former colleagues during that phase of time.
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Ferguson had claimed that she had reached out to her managers but her voice was put down and ignored by the sporting body. However, Cricket Tasmania, has come to a position where they want to close the case as Ferguson had made a long delay in launching legal action. She had only filed legal documents in November 2021, as per a report in foxsports.com.au.
Ferguson was probed by the organisation lawyer, Bruce McTaggart SC, over her delay through videolink from Bundaberg. She claimed to be suffering from mental health issues as the major reason for not being able to write to Cricket Australia and lodge the workers’ compensation claim. “It doesn’t ring true,” Mr McTaggart said. She was quizzed about her pub jobs in Melbourne, to which Ferguson said that it was not a full-time job. Besides that she also mentioned that she was asked by her landlord to stay at the pub during the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
Earlier, Tim Paine had resigned as Australia Test captain in a tearful press conference. “As a background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague,” he said. “At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough CA Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in.
“That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time, and still do today. I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support.
“We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years. However, I recently became aware that this private text exchange was going to become public. On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community. I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused to my wife, my family, and to the other party. I’m sorry for any damage that this does to the reputation of our sport.”
