EXCLUSIVE: Rugby league star allegedly assaulted daughter of Olympian-turned politician Nova Peris seven times and 'destroyed' her mobile phone in night-time incidents over eight month period
By Candace Sutton and Liam Quinn For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 18:08 EST, 21 July 2015 | Updated: 20:27 EST, 21 July 2015
Court documents exclusively obtained by Daily Mail Australia have revealed international rugby league star Shaun Kenny-Dowall allegedly assaulted his former girlfriend Jessica Peris, the daughter of Olympian turned politician Nova Peris seven times and 'destroyed or damaged' her mobile phone in mostly night time incidents.
Kenny-Dowall, who plays for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL, allegedly committed his first, and most serious assault on Ms Peris, which caused actual bodily harm on October 10 last year at Coogee.
The 28-year-old winger is expected to plead not guilty to 10 charges related to domestic assault and stalking, which are due in Waverley Court in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs on Thursday.
The court documents allege Kenny-Dowall, who lives in Maroubra in Sydney's east, on eight separate occasions assaulted Ms Peris seven times and once intimidated her with intent to causing Ms Peris physical or mental harm.
The incidents, except on one occasion, all allegedly took place in the afternoon or evening, the latest occurring between 12.30am and 12.40am.
Kenny-Dowall, who turned himself in at his local Maroubra police station last Saturday morning, is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and six counts of common assault of Ms Peris, as well as one count each of damaging her mobile phone, stalking or intimidating her and using a mobile phone to menace, harass or be offensive.
Ms Peris and Kenny-Dowall are believed to have been in an 18 month de facto relationship which ended just weeks ago.
According to documents filed in Waverley court ahead of Thursday, the incident in which Kenny-Dowall allegedly assaulted and harmed Ms Peris and destroyed her phone happened between 4pm and 9.30pm on October 10 last year.
The next alleged incident occurred, police say, between 10.10 and 10.15pm on February 26 this year at Maroubra, when the footballer allegedly committed a common assault on Ms Peris.
Similar incidents, police allege, took place in the three months thereafter, between 9 and 9.35pm on March 15, between 12.30 and 12.40am on April 6 and between 6 and 6.30pm on May 16.
On the same date in May, Kenny-Dowall allegedly used a mobile phone to menace or harass Ms Peris, and a month later, between 9.30 and 9.35pm on June 15, he allegedly assaulted her.
Six days later, on June 21 between midday and 12.10pm, he allegedly assaulted her again, and three days later on June 24 between 5.45 and 6pm, he allegedly intimidated Ms Peris.
Ms Peris has also filed for a Apprehended Violence Order against the NRL star. Last Sunday, Kenny-Dowall did not participate in the Roosters' 24-0 win over the Auckland Warriors at the Allianz Stadium, after being left out of the squad in a move his club described as 'a welfare decision'.
Ms Peris, who is in her mid-20s, is the daughter of Australia's first indigenous Olympic gold medal winner, Nova Peris, OAM.
Nova Peris was part of the victorious Australian Hockeyroos team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and went on to contest the 2000 Sydney Olympics as an athlete before turning to politics, becoming Australia's first indigenous woman elected to federal parliament in 2013.
Jessica Peris has been the victim of a previous domestic violence incident, in 2012 when her former partner, rugby union player Jah Coe, pleaded guilty to damaging her property and breaching an AVO in Darwin in the Northern Territory,
Kenny-Dowall, who spent most of his early years in New Zealand, debuted with the Roosters in 2007 and has since been a noted try scorer.
Nicknamed 'Skids', he has played for New Zealand against Australia in international matches.
Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan said on Sunday he expected Kenny-Dowall to defend himself against the charges, with not guilty pleas on all counts.
'The NRL have been supportive of that and we as a club will support that process,' Mr Canavan said following the Roosters' win..
'He is struggling. It is a very serious matter. He didn't play today mainly because of a welfare issue and also a team preparation issue,' Canavan said.
'He wasn't in a position to train with the team yesterday. His own personal preparation, the team preparation and his own welfare, the decision was made this morning for him not to play.'
Canavan also said Kenny-Dowall, who will miss the Roosters' next match against Wests Tigers on Friday, should be afforded the opportunity to tell his side of the story.
'I have known him since he was 15 years of age and he deserves his opportunity to be explained and to present his side of the story,' Canavan said.
'That's all we're saying. We definitely don't condone anything to do with domestic violence.'
The New Zealand international has been omitted from the Roosters team to play West Tigers on Friday
The New Zealand international has been omitted from the Roosters team to play West Tigers on Friday
The 28-year-old was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and six counts of common assault, and one count each of stalk and intimidate, destroying or damaging Ms Peris's mobile phone and using a phone to harass or menace
The 28-year-old was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and six counts of common assault, and one count each of stalk and intimidate, destroying or damaging Ms Peris's mobile phone and using a phone to harass or menace
The Sydney Roosters issued a statement last weekend about Kenny-Dowall's inclusion in the team, saying: 'This should not in any way be taken as an admission Shaun has done anything wrong and to do so would be incorrect.'
Shaun Kenny-Dowall has played 192 matches in the eight years of his professional career.
The New Zealand Test star has been a strong contributor for the Roosters this season, scoring eight tries in his past six games and is on track to break the club record of 139 tries set by former skipper Anthony Minichiello.
His immediate playing future is uncertain.
