Boxer accused of horrific attack on a football referee is denied bail in front of his pregnant wife because he poses an ‘unacceptable risk’ to the community
- Adam Abdullah accused of storming the field at the end of a match
- Referee Khodr Yaghi broke his jaw in three places
An amateur boxer accused of assaulting a football referee in an attack that left him with a broken jaw hung his head when a magistrate refused to release him on bail – while his five-month-pregnant wife held back tears.
Adam Abdallah, 25, is accused of storming the field and confronting a referee at the end of a match at Padstow Park, Sydney’s southwest, on Friday night.
More than a dozen family and friends filled the public gallery at Bankstown Local Court on Monday as Mr Abdallah appeared in court via video link.
Police opposed bail, saying they were concerned that Mr Abdallah would endanger the safety of the victim and the community.
A football referee has broken his jaw in a vicious attack during a match in Sydney on Friday night. and kicked him as players and spectators tried to stop the attack. Image: Delivered
“The concern would be that if he is willing to show this level of violence for something so small, he would be a constant threat on bail to members of the community,” the police prosecutor said.
The court was told that Khodr Yaghi had a broken jaw, was missing four teeth and underwent surgery to insert plates in his jawline.
Police said there had been ‘little to no provocation’ from the referee, who asked Mr Abdullah to ‘please leave’ before Mr Abdallah reportedly became aggressive and started ‘pushing punches’.
However, the court was told that Mr. Yaghi used a sideline flag to defend himself, causing Mr. Abdallah to fall to the ground before his alleged attack began.
Adam Abdullah’s wife will be in court on Monday
Defense attorney Talal Krayem said his client suffered bruises on his head as a result of being hit with the ‘stainless steel’ sideline flag.
Friday’s incident after the Greenacre Eagles and Padstow Hornets game was filmed by shocked bystanders and quickly spread on social media.
Players can be seen mingling at the end of the match before a verbal altercation breaks out over what are believed to be calls from the referee during the match.
A man then runs through the crowd and allegedly attacks Mr. Yaghi, beating him several times. Mr Yaghi was reportedly pushed to the ground as he tried to cover his face to protect himself as onlookers shouted ‘get off him’.
Referee and father of four Khodr Yaghi had to undergo jaw surgery
Bystanders try to pull the alleged assailant off the referee.
NSW police allege that Mr Abdallah ‘punched Mr Yaghi several times in the face and kicked him in the head’.
He then allegedly fled the scene before standing outside Bankstown police station on Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Abdallah was charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and quarreling.
Mr Krayem told the court his client had no history of violence and would be under strict bail conditions.
A football referee broke his jaw in a vicious attack during a match in Sydney on Friday night. and kicked him as players and spectators tried to stop the attack. Image: Delivered
Magistrate Glenn Walsh said there is a “considerable time gap” between when Abdallah is hit on the head and “what happens next.”
“My view is that it was a concerted effort by someone who was in complete control of his physical abilities to chase a man down and hit him,” Mr Walsh said. “But what he did, the nature of what happened, betrays an inability to control that shows the risk of another serious offense if he were upset.”
Mr Walsh, despite Mr Abdallah’s background of ADHD and ‘other problems’, felt the risk was too great to grant bail.
Abdallah will return to court in June.
Adam Abdullah supporter out of court on Monday (above)