Harry Garside’s ex Ashley Ruscoe is hit with new charges in alleged domestic violence drama as she’s accused of distributing intimate images of star boxer
The former partner of Australian boxer Harry Garside has been hit with two new charges, accused of deliberately distributing intimate images of her ex-boyfriend without consent.
Ashley Alsione Ruscoe was arrested in July and charged with two counts of domestic violence; ordinary assault and stalking or harassment with intent to cause fear or physical harm.
The 35-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charges when she stood before the Downing Center local court in Sydney alongside high-profile barrister Bryan Wrench.
NSW Police said Ms Ruscoe was arrested at a home in Bellevue Hill following an investigation into allegations of a domestic violence incident believed to have occurred at the property on March 1.
Since her previous appearance in court, the boxing coach, who has spent the past few weeks in Bali, has been charged with two new offences.
Ruscoe (pictured out of court last month) has been accused of deliberately distributing intimate images of her ex-boyfriend without permission
Garside (pictured out of court) was charged with assault over the same incident for which Ruscoe is now facing charges. The charges against the boxer were dropped earlier this year
Ms Ruscoe now faces two new charges of deliberately distributing intimate images without consent, related to domestic violence, which were filed on August 23.
It is not known when the images were circulated, but it has been confirmed that they contain images of Mr Garside and he has given permission through his legal team to identify him as the alleged victim.
The case of the 35-year-old returns to court on Wednesday.
In Ms Ruscoe’s previous appearance in court, Mr Wrench confirmed the allegations against his client in relation to the same March 1 incident in which Mr Garside was charged with assault earlier this year before charges against him were dropped.
“We are concerned about Mr Garside’s motivation,” Mr Wrench told the court in July.
“Mr. Garside only made a statement after discovering that other people had come forward. What matters is that the police can conduct a full and thorough investigation.’
In court, Mr Wrench claimed that Mr Garside admitted to ‘spit’ on Ms Ruscoe and expressed concern over an interview Mr Garside did on the Sunrise TV program regarding alleged video evidence.
Garside and Ruscoe (pictured together at an Olympics in Australia) first became an item in 2019 before splitting 18 months later
“We have received the so-called videos that clear his name – they don’t clear his name,” Mr Wrench told the court.
Before being interrupted, he added, “He’s on Sunrise then and says he passed his phone…”
Mr Garside previously told Sunrise presenter David Koch that he had given his phone to police.
On multiple occasions, Mr Wrench loudly clashed with Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson.
Ms Atkinson told Mr Wrench that the courtroom was ‘not the forum’ to negotiate with police on the issues raised.
“We don’t do it with anyone else, I won’t let you come here. I’m stopping you,” said the magistrate.
“You have a commitment from the police, and if there’s a problem along the way, we’ll handle it.”
Mr Wrench told the court he was ‘surprised’ that Ms Ruscoe had been charged and would be filing an application to find out why.
Before being shut down by Ms Atkins, he said he would call several witnesses at the hearing.
Ruscoe is due back in court on Wednesday after new charges against her were filed on August 23
“So is the propensity of witnesses to show that Mr. Garside has a history of domestic violence,” Mr. Wrench said.
Ms. Ruscoe, a fitness influencer and self-proclaimed wellness coach, was granted conditional bail.
The charges come just months after Garside’s charges were sensationally dropped after his defense team told the same Sydney court that a video previously unseen by police showed Ms Ruscoe as the alleged aggressor.
The Olympic medalist was arrested after returning from Johannesburg on May 2 after performing on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! after allegations from Mrs. Ruscoe that he assaulted her.
Mr Garside was charged with assaulting Ms Ruscoe at a property in the Bellevue Hill home between 4 and 7 pm on March 1 and categorically denied the allegations at trial before the charges were dropped.
His lawyer told the court that “no charges should have been brought in this case.”
Mr Garside later told Koch the allegations were his boy-to-man moment.
He and Ms. Ruscoe first started dating in 2019 but split eighteen months later.