An amateur boxer accused of assaulting a soccer referee in an attack that left him with a broken jaw hung his head as his bail was refused and his wife, who is five months pregnant, held back tears.
Adam Abdallah, 25, is accused of storming the pitch and confronting referee Khodr Yaghi at the end of a match at Padstow Park, in Sydney’s southwest, on Friday night.
More than a dozen family and friends filled the public gallery of Bankstown Local Court on Monday as Mr Abdallah appeared in court via videolink.
As reported by NCA NewsWire, police opposed bail, saying they had concerns Mr Abdallah would endanger the safety of the victim and community.
“The concern would be if he is willing to show this level of violence over something so minor he would be a constant threat on bail to members of the community,” the police prosecutor said.
The court was told Khodr Yaghi suffered a fractured jaw, was missing four teeth, and was undergoing surgery where he would need plates inserted into his jawline.
Police said there had been “little to no provocation” from the referee, who had asked Mr Abdallah to “please move away”.
In a police statement of facts obtained by The Daily Telegraph, it is alleged Mr Abdallah “turned to the victim and said “I’m going to f*** your mum and sister”.
Mr Abdallah is then alleged to have became aggressive and began “throwing punches”.
The court was also told Mr Yaghi used a sideline flag to defend himself, causing Mr Abdallah to fall to the ground before his alleged attack began.
Defence lawyer Talal Krayem said his client suffered bruising to his head as a result of being hit with the “stainless steel” sideline flag.
Friday’s incident following the Greenacre Eagles and Padstow Hornets game was filmed by shocked bystanders and quickly circulated on social media.
Players can be seen mingling at the conclusion of the game before a verbal argument breaks out over what is believed to be calls made by the referee during the match.
A man then runs through the crowd and allegedly charges at Mr Yaghi and punches him multiple times. Mr Yaghi was allegedly pushed to the ground while he attempted to cover his face to protect himself as onlookers screamed “get off him”.
Bystanders attempt to pull the alleged attacker off the referee.
NSW Police allege Mr Abdallah punched Mr Yaghi “multiple times in the face and kicked him to the head”.
He then allegedly fled the scene before fronting Bankstown Police Station on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Abdallah was charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and affray.
Mr Krayem told the court his client did not have a history of violence and would be under strict bail conditions.
Magistrate Glen Walsh said there was a “considerable time gap” between when Mr Abdallah is hit on the head and “what happens thereafter”.
“My view is it was a concerted effort for someone in full control of his physical abilities to chase after a man and beat him,” Mr Walsh said. “But what he did, the very nature of what happened, betrays an incapacity for control that proves a risk of a further serious offence were he to become upset.”
Mr Walsh found, despite Mr Abdallah’s background of ADHD and “other issues”, the risk was too great to grant bail.
Mr Abdallah will return to court in June.
— with NCA NewsWire
