An amateur boxer allegedly threatened to “f***” a referee’s mother and sister before punching him and breaking his jaw in three places, a court has heard.
Adam Abdallah, 25, remains behind bars after allegedly assaulting referee Khodr Yaghi after a football match at Padstow Park, Sydney’s southwest, on Friday night.
Shocking new allegations surrounding the incident came to light when Abdallah appeared in Bankstown court via video link on Monday.
The court heard that Abdallah allegedly taunted officials from the sidelines before jumping over the fence to confront Mr Yaghi after the full-time whistle was blown.
The referee asked his alleged assailant to “please leave” before Abdallah turned to him and said, “I’m going to fuck your mother and sister,” according to police records presented to the court.
Adam Abdallah (pictured) reportedly threatened to ‘f***’ the referee’s mother and wife at the end of a football match in southwest Sydney
Police allege that Abdallah “stood in a boxing stance” and punched Mr. Yaghi before striking him repeatedly on the head with his fist and foot. The Daily Telegraph reported.
The court was also told that Mr. Yaghi used a metal sideline flag to defend himself during the incident, injuring Abdallah.
The suspect hung his head when a magistrate refused to release him on bail on Monday, while his five-month-pregnant wife held back tears.
More than a dozen friends and relatives filled the court’s public gallery in support of Abdallah.
Police opposed bail, saying they were concerned that Abdallah would endanger the safety of the victim and the community.
“This is an outrageous attack on a match official who was simply running a football match,” the police prosecutor told the court.
“The concern would be that if he is willing to show this level of violence over something so small, he would be a constant threat on bail to members of the community.”
Adam Abdallah’s wife, the pregnant woman (right), broke down in court on Monday after the amateur boxer was denied bail
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.
Mr Yaghi suffered a broken jaw, was missing four teeth and would need plates in his jawline, the court heard.
He remains in the hospital after surgery.
“Surgery went well – thank God,” Mr Yaghi posted online Monday evening.
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 the footage quickly circulated on social media.
The video shows players mingling at the end of the game before a verbal altercation breaks out.
A man then runs through the crowd and attacks Mr. Yaghi, beating him several times. Mr Yaghi was 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 Abdallah “punched Mr Yaghi in the face and kicked him in the head several times.”
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 has broken his jaw in a vicious attack during a game 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 Abdallah’s background of ADHD and ‘other problems’, felt the risk was too great to grant bail.
Abdallah will return to court in June.
Supporters of Adam Abdullah attended the local Bankstown court where he was denied bail. The photo shows supporters outside the track