The ex-girlfriend of Olympic athlete Harry Garside admitted assaulting the boxer but walked free from court as she spoke out about domestic violence in the wake of the sentencing.
Ashley Ruscoe admitted common assault and intimidation for the couple’s Bellevue Hill incident in Sydney‘s this in March 2023 at Downing Center Local Court.
The Amazing Race reality star, 35, turned boxing and martial arts instructor, left court after being given a 12-month probation order on Monday.
Other The charge against Ruscoe involving intentional distribution of an intimate image without consent was taken into account in sentencing, while a second charge of the same charge was dropped.
Garside, 27, who gave permission to be identified in connection with that crime, urged anyone affected by domestic violence to speak out.
“Domestic violence is a serious problem in our country and I encourage everyone affected to come forward; your voice matters and you are not alone,” she said.
Magistrate Miranda Moody said a detained domestic violence order to protect Garside from Ruscoe would be in place for two years.
An AVO has been put in place preventing Ashley Ruscoe from contacting Harry Garside for two years.
The orders also include a requirement that the 36-year-old not assault, threaten, stalk, harass or intimidate Mr. Garside or anyone with whom he has a domestic relationship.
Magistrate Miranda Moody warned against any ‘victim blaming’; while sentencing Ruscoe for intimidating and assaulting his ex-partner.
“I accept they had a bad fight… I don’t doubt for a minute there were faults on both sides,” he said.
“It was obviously a toxic relationship.”
The boxing prodigy had previously been accused of the same incident and denied any wrongdoing.
Harry Garside (pictured at a previous court appearance) said he had been vindicated after enduring a “personally devastating” period following his return from South Africa where he had been filming a reality series.
Garside was arrested after returning home from a stint on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and accused of assaulting Ruscoe.
However, police dropped the charge after just four weeks, when her prominent lawyer Sue Chrysanthou handed police videos which she said showed Ruscoe had been the aggressor.
Garside told reporters outside court that “recordings and communications” had given police a full understanding of what happened.
He said he had been vindicated after enduring a “personally devastating” period following his return from South Africa, where he had been filming a reality series.