CCTV footage shows an off-duty New Zealand police officer saving a Melbourne nurse from the brutal attack by an AFL player

WARNING: PAIN CONTENT

An AFL district player grabbed a nurse while walking to work early in the morning, dragged her into an alley, pinned her on her back, and covered her mouth as she screamed.

The 39-year-old victim, who was on her way to work at a Melbourne hospital, was only able to escape her attacker after a New Zealand police officer who was on vacation with her family heard her screams and ran to help her.

But on Tuesday, a judge ruled that Jackson Williams was not guilty of attempting to commit a sex crime.

The 21-year-old was found guilty in Victoria County Court of assaulting a stranger on the morning of October 28, 2018, captured in its entirety by CCTV.

He was found not guilty of his second count, and Judge Mandy Fox found that Williams’ state of mind at the time could not be proven.

“He did not say or do anything consistent with the robbery, but neither did he say or do anything consistent with the intent to commit a sexual assault,” he said.

He said the Westmeadows Tigers player’s attack lasted 37 seconds, from the moment he grabbed the victim by the neck from behind and shoved her into an alley until the off-duty Kiwi cop heard the woman scream and ran to help.

The woman’s headphones broke and her glasses fell to the ground during the attack, which began when Williams suddenly jumped off the step where she was smoking, put a key on her head and forced her to go from Little Lonsdale Street to Brights Place.

She stumbled and he pressed his body onto her and covered her mouth as she tried to free himself, Judge Fox said.

The victim told the court that Williams was “really strong.”

“She tried to fight, grab and push him,” Judge Fox said.

“She was really scared and scared.

“His body was lying on the ground, his face was raised and he kept screaming.”

The New Zealand officer, who was staying in Melbourne for a family vacation, walked past and headed with his partner and two young children to catch an early bus to Phillip Island.

He handed his daughter, who was in a backpack on his back, to his partner and ran into the alley, yelling “oi!”, The court heard.

CCTV footage shows Williams looking up and then running towards nearby Healeys Lane.

He later told police that he got home around 7 a.m. and went to bed.

Australian media have identified the police officer as Adrian Woodgate.

“I didn’t know what was going on, but I wasn’t happy about it,” Woodgate told AAP.

“It was just after 6 in the morning and there was no one around … I could hear a person’s screaming.”

Williams had told the court that he spent the night at nightclubs in Essendon and the CBD, and told police he was drunk and could not remember the attack.

Prosecutor Stephanie Clancy argued that Williams could not be seen in CCTV footage attempting to grab the victim’s backpack or mobile phone, and that she made no threats or demands.

“When a man takes a woman off the street and into a deserted alley … credulity is tested to think that she could have any purpose other than sexual,” he said.

But Judge Fox agreed with the defense that he also could not be seen trying to touch the victim in a sexual way or trying to remove her clothes.

“There is no direct evidence on the state of mind of the defendant,” he said.

“I must not guess, speculate or jump to conclusions.”

Williams remained in the Westmeadows Tigers lineup, part of the Essendon District Football League, as of 2019, with the 2020 season suspended due to Covid-19.

His trial was tried alone rather than before a jury.

Williams had pleaded guilty to assault, but Judge Fox ordered that the charge also proceed to trial along with intent to commit a sex crime, of which he had pleaded not guilty.

He will be sentenced at a later date.