Olympian’s ‘toxic’ relationship with ex: court
The ex-girlfriend of Olympic boxer Harry Garside has avoided conviction after she “lost her cool and behaved extremely badly” during a violent tussle at their shared home.
Ashley Ruscoe, 36, faced Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Monday to plead guilty to intimidating Mr Garside and assaulting him on the afternoon of March 1 last year.
The couple had been dating for more than a year and lived together in the ritzy Sydney suburb of Bellevue Hill when they got into an argument while strolling through a nearby park.
According to court documents, Ms Ruscoe walked home and offered to book Mr Garside a hotel because she wanted to be left alone.
“Get your s*** and get out,” she told him when he returned home around 12.15pm.
When the Olympic medallist asked her to calm down, Ms Ruscoe replied: “If you don’t take it and get out, I’m going to take your stuff and burn it.”
Mr Garside began recording the interaction and captured Ms Ruscoe dropping his suitcase to lunge at him, coming into contact with his hand.
The contact ceased the recording but Mr Garside again took up his phone when their argument continued into the bathroom.
Ms Ruscoe asked him to stop filming her and tried to grab the phone out of his hands, but he was moving his hands. During the tussle, she struck his hand.
As Mr Garside backed away, the agreed facts reveal he spat at his girlfriend, hitting her in the face.
Ms Ruscoe’s lawyer Bryan Wrench told the court Mr Garside had later accepted that “spitting is the worst”.
Magistrate Miranda Moody cautioned against any “victim blaming” as she sentenced Ms Ruscoe for intimidating and assaulting her former partner.
“I accept they had a bad fight … I don’t doubt for a minute there were faults on both sides,” she said.
“It was obviously a toxic relationship.”
The court was told Ms Ruscoe attended counselling over the toxicity of the relationship and had been “severely impacted” by the incident.
“Nothing like this has ever happened before,” Ms Moody said.
She noted the boxing instructor regularly volunteered at a women and girls’ emergency centre, where she donates her skills in meditation and boxing.
The magistrate acknowledged the 36-year-old was a person of “good character” with “many fine qualities”.
“I accept she’s behaved in a way that’s out of character,” she said.
“She lost her cool and she behaved extremely badly.”
Ms Moody did not record a conviction for either offence and instead handed Ms Ruscoe two 12-month conditional release orders.
Ms Moody imposed a two-year apprehended violence order and directed Ms Ruscoe not to have any contact with Mr Garside.
In a statement issued by his lawyer Rebekah Giles, Mr Garside took a stand against domestic violence.
“Domestic violence is a serious problem in our country, and I encourage anyone affected to come forward—your voice matters, and you are not alone,” he said.
Mr Garside was arrested following his return home from a stint on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! and charged with assaulting Ms Ruscoe.
However, the charge was withdrawn by police after just four weeks when his high-profile barrister Sue Chrysanthou gave police videos which she said showed Ms Ruscoe had been the aggressor.
Ms Ruscoe and Mr Garside have been separated since the ugly confrontation.
Womensline: 1800 811 811
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National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24hr helpline: 1800 RESPECT
Lifeline: 13 11 44
Family Violence Crisis and Support Service: 1800 608 122
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