Harry Garside reveals the nadir of his domestic violence ordeal after charges were sensationally dropped: ‘My parents would destroy me if I did something like that’
- Boxer was acquitted in court on Wednesday
- Was accused of assaulting his ex Ash Ruscoe
- New video evidence produced by legal team
Boxer Harry Garside has spoken of how low he fell when he was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe, revealing the moment his “heart dropped to the floor” before being sensationally acquitted in court.
Police dropped charges against the 25-year-old in a Sydney court on Wednesday after his legal team produced video evidence they say showed Ruscoe was the alleged aggressor in the March 1 incident.
Garside was arrested by NSW Police in dramatic scenes at Sydney Airport as he returned home with his father after taping the reality TV show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in South Africa.
Garfield was charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe (pictured together last November) before the charges were dropped on Wednesday
The couple started dating in August 2021 after Garside reportedly messaged her on Instagram
The boxer told Sunrise he hit rock bottom when he was arrested by police at Sydney Airport in dramatic scenes as he returned to Australia with his father.
He told Sunrise presenters Natalie Barr and David Koch that the battle to clear his name has been a turning point in his life.
“It’s been a big burden for the past month, not only for me but also for my family,” he said Thursday morning.
“When I say that, I’m really proud of myself. I feel like it was a real boy turned into a man moment.
“I’m only 25, so I feel like this is quite a setback for me. This is a time in my life where I really had my back against the wall and really had to pull some things in myself.
“The most important thing is that I can look myself in the mirror and know exactly what happened and be proud of the man standing there.”
Asked when he had hit rock bottom, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist didn’t hesitate to pick the moment when he was confronted by police at the airport.
Garside said he felt ‘justified’ when he appeared out of court after being acquitted (pictured)
“I got extremely low. At that moment my heart fell to the ground, I had never had to deal with the police in my life,” he said.
“Dad and I got off the plane and flew business class with my dad for the first time, one of the best experiences of my life. It was so confrontational.’
Garside said he gave police his phone with the video evidence his team produced in court, saying he had “a lot of evidence” that he showed officers.
“It’s one of those things where you throw dirt at a wall and part of it sticks… I hope people can see through this.”
Garside and Ruscoe began dating in August 2021, with the pair sharing a love of physical fitness and reportedly meeting when Garside messaged her on Instagram.
Ruscoe (pictured vacationing in Bali) shared a love of fitness with Garside and revealed how a previously alleged violent incident from her past inspired her to start her Hit Like A Girl personal training company
A wellness coach and fitness expert, Ruscoe took part in the 2019 season of Channel Ten’s Amazing Race reality TV show with her then-boyfriend, Sidney Pierucci.
She has also worked for the Camilla fashion label, has a business degree from the University of Western Sydney and was often seen at red carpet events with Garside when they were an item.
Ruscoe also revealed how a previously alleged violent incident with a partner changed her life, saying it was the “best” thing that happened to her and inspired her personal training company, Hit Like A Girl.
“I felt super powerless, and I think as a woman experiencing… violence, so many women experience it in some way,” she said while appearing on the King Beats Fitness podcast in March 2022.
“So when I experienced it, I thought, what is the one thing that will make myself stronger again, and that was through martial arts.
“I thought, I’m going to set up a business based on empowering other women and men, and I want to pass that on.”