Harry Garside has been hit with a provisional restraining order after he was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend – as an interview the alleged victim gave about an unrelated, previous violent incident involving another man comes to light.
The Olympic bronze medallist boxer, 25, has been charged with assaulting wellness coach and fitness trainer Ashley Ruscoe at her home in Bellevue Hill, in Sydney’s east, on March 1.
It was reported on Wednesday that police will allege Garside hit his former partner in the head with his elbow and spat in her face and that there was a clash involving a mobile phone.
Garside was arrested as he flew into Sydney Airport on Tuesday night as he travelled home from South Africa, where just hours earlier he had been named the runner-up on the reality TV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal police have hit the 25-year-old with a provisional AVO. He also been granted conditional bail on the assault charge and has pledged to defend it. He is due to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on May 24.
Four days after he was accused of assaulting Ms Ruscoe, a barefoot Garside was pictured deep in conversation with a female friend in Rose Bay, in Sydney’s east
Above, Ash Ruscoe and Garside set up for a boxing exercise session at Bondi Beach in 2021. They split up earlier this year after dating for about 18 months
It comes as video surfaces of Garside’s ex-girlfriend describing how surviving a previous violent incident had changed her life forever.
Ms Ruscoe said the alleged incident had been the ‘best thing’ to ever happen to her and had been the inspiration behind her personal training business ‘Hit Like A Girl’.
‘I felt super disempowered, and I guess as a woman experiencing … violence, so many woman experience it in some way shape or form,’ she said during an appearance on the King Beats Fitness podcast in March 2022.
‘So when I experienced it, I was like, what is the one thing that’s going to re-empower myself, and it was through combat sport.
‘I thought, I’m going to create a business that’s based on empowering other women and men, and I want to pass that on.’
Garside and a female friend appeared deep in discussion as they strolled in the sunshine in Sydney’s Double Bay just days after the alleged incident with Ms Ruscoe
A barefoot Garside was pictured chatting with the woman on March 5
Video has surfaced of Garside’s ex-girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe describing how surviving a previous violence incident had changed her life forever
In another interview, the personal trainer said surviving one of the hardest times in her life had given her the opportunity to help others.
‘In retrospect, that is the best way I could have dealt with it, to channel that energy into helping others, I think that is a key thing,’ she said.
‘It puts everything into perspective and it just takes the shift off yourself and the sadness off yourself and you’re able to feel gratitude from helping someone else.’
It is not suggested Garside had anything to do with the previous incident described by Ms Ruscoe.
The couple dated for about 18 months before splitting earlier this year.
Garside was questioned about the alleged domestic violence incident as he left a Sydney police station on Tuesday night.
When asked if he intended to fight the charges he said: ‘Of course’.
The 25-year-old boxer is accused of domestic violence against ex-girlfriend Ash Ruscoe
On Wednesday morning, Ms Ruscoe (pictured left) was also questioned by reporters
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