It wasn't me, I'm a saint

Sam Gilbert. Photo / Getty Images

The victim of an alleged assault in Queenstown by an Aussie Rules star is standing by his claims - as the player's club launches an internal inquiry.

Local restaurant owner Danny Carson, 53, claims he was attacked by St Kilda Saints man Sam Gilbert early on January 23.

The club has cleared Gilbert and his roommate but are investigating other players.

Carson alleges the incident occurred after he confronted Gilbert about urinating on the window of Champions of the World, a town centre shop selling All Blacks jerseys, about 1.30am.

"Instinctively I went up to him and said, 'you f ... ing mongrel, what do you think you are doing pissing on our streets? Use a toilet you dirty animal'," said Carson.

"He launched at me like a missile, he flattened me. He knocked me face down on to the ground. A friend of mine pulled him off me. My wife was screaming at him, 'you dirty f ... pisser'. And she's not an aggressive person. We both just lost it and we weren't drunk," he said.

This week the Melbourne-based Saints strongly denied the allegations against Gilbert.

But yesterday it emerged the club had launched an internal investigation, with every player on the trip to be questioned.

The executive responsible for "player integrity", lawyer Sarah Galbally, told the Herald Sun she had interviewed Gilbert and his roommate Nick Riewoldt.

She said the club accepted they had no case to answer but could not vouch for teammates.

"We take these allegations very seriously. We will look at any further evidence if it comes to light."

Carson and his wife Lizzie - who claims to have witnessed the incident - believe Gilbert was the offender.

Carson, originally from West Auckland, said he recognised him only when he saw his photo in a paper the next day.

"I asked my wife if she recognised anyone in the picture and she said 'that's him' - she was pointing at Sam Gilbert."

Carson said his reputation had been slurred by Saints officials after speaking out. He had not made a police complaint but was reconsidering his decision.

Carson's friend Queenstown truck driver Adam Kearney, 36, claims he was set upon by up to six men when he tried to help Carson, suffering a black eye and cut above his right eye.

He alleged one of the men was Gilbert, but said he couldn't identify the others.

The Saints were in Queenstown for a pre-season training camp.

Hutchison told local paper Mountain Scene the trip cost $250,000 and the allegations meant they wouldn't come back.

Four players on the tour were apparently suspended for taking sleeping pills and drinking.