NRLW star Maddie Studdon has been given a jarring dressing down by a magistrate after being told that she had only narrowly escaped being sent to jail for domestic violence-related stalking offences.
The former Australian and NSW representative stood in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday afternoon where she was sentenced over a series of incidents earlier this year during which she sent her former partner abusive messages, called her 29 times and showed up at her home.
Ultimately, Studdon walked out of court alongside a large throng of family and supporters, but only after being told by Magistrate Megan Greenwood that she had only just avoided being taken away by sheriffs, put in a van and sent to Silverwater prison.
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“You do this again, that’s where you’re going – you’re going to jail,” Ms Greenwood told Ms Studdon, saying that domestic violence was a “scourge on society”.
Studdon was arrested on January 13 after an incident outside the victim’s home and spent a night behind bars after she was charged with one count each of stalk/intimidation with the intention to cause fear of physical harm (DV) and using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend.
She was released on bail and initially flagged that she would fight the charges.
But on Wednesday, her solicitor David Newham entered guilty pleas to both offences, which occurred against the backdrop of the breakdown of her long-term relationship late last year.
The court heard that at the time, Studdon made allegations that her former partner had slept with another person.
Those claims were unsubstantiated, the court was told.
The court was told that the victim told Studdon “do not message me again” however she repeatedly made contact and went to her house.
When the woman blocked Ms Studdon’s number and profile on social media, the former NSW Origin skipper set her number to private and called her 29 times.
The court was told that she sent the victim a message by transferring her a small amount of money with a description attached saying “check msgs, enjoy the d**k.”
Ms Greenwood described the sending of the messages via a bank message as “classic controlling behaviour” – the likes of which the court sees all too often.
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On January 12, Studdon went to the victim’s home and repeatedly knocked and kicked her door, saying “you’re having f**king sex, are ya?”
The following morning she returned while her ex was at work and tried to open her car door as she returned.
The court heard it led the victim to fear for her safety and Ms Greenwood said she would have been “terrified”.
“No one should ever have to put up with being treated like this,” Ms Greenwood said.
The court was also told that Studdon had a previous conviction on her record for a domestic-violence related offence from 10 years ago.
The prosecution argued that she should be jailed due to the seriousness of the charges.
Mr Newham said it was a “highly regrettable and serious matter”, that Studdon felt “humiliated” and appreciated how the victim must have felt.
“She knows she’s made a mistake, she acknowledges she’s gone off the handle, but to say that she should be sent to prison today, that’s way too excessive,” he told the court.
Ms Greenwood said the facts of the case were “shocking” and reflected someone who was “out of control, fixated and obsessive”.
Studdon was sentenced to a two-year intensive corrections order, to be served in the community.
She was also fined $2200.
Ms Studdon has previously played for the Sydney Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Cronulla.
She played for the Dragons last season but is without a club for the 2026 NRLW season.
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