NRL player David Williams has had a charge of offensive behaviour against him dropped, with a Sydney magistrate saying he was a "trifle hard done by".
Williams faced Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday after being charged with affray and offensive behaviour following an incident outside a Kings Cross nightclub in the early hours of May 27.
The affray charge had previously been dropped and Magistrate Lisa Stapleton was to sentence him for the offensive behaviour charge to which he had pleaded guilty.
However, Ms Stapleton told the court on Wednesday that Williams was a "trifle hard done by" because he was simply trying to intervene in a an altercation.
"I don't know why someone like Mr Williams goes out at night," Ms Stapleton said before dismissing the charge.
Dressed in a navy suit and with his girlfriend by his side, a clean-shaven Williams didn't comment to the media as he left the court.
His lawyer Ian Byrne told reporters outside the court that Williams was a person of good character, an ambassador for the McGrath foundation and had good character references.
"What her honour said was very important, that he was a person of good character, that he was a trifle hard done by," he said.
"I think that was the correct outcome."
Mr Byrne said the 27-year-old was simply out at a nightclub with friends and had tried to assist when a fight involving other people broke out.
"He was minding his own business, there was an altercation, he was not involved in that," he said.
"The offending parties were evacuated from the club.
"David went outside, he tried to remove the patrons, tried to separate the patrons."
However Mr Byrne said his client "became a little more involved than he should have" and conceded that "any NRL footballer that ventures out is asking for trouble."
Williams' NRL club Manly said in a statement it welcomed the decision.
"The club ... is pleased the matter has been resolved," it said.
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