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By Natasha Wallace
November 15, 2005
The reputation of former rugby league international Mark McGaw - who pleaded guilty in 2003 to having assaulted a female business partner and flatmate - has been "completely destroyed" by a "viciously distorted" current affairs report, a court has heard.
Business and sporting personalities are expected to rally behind McGaw, 41, in a damages hearing after a jury found he was defamed by a Today Tonight story.
Yesterday a close friend and former Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski, told the NSW Supreme Court that McGaw was "absolutely shattered" after Louise Boucheron accused him on the Channel Seven show of bashing her so brutally she had to be admitted to hospital.
Ms Boucheron, who was paid $10,000 for the interview, alleged McGaw assaulted her three times, the court heard.
Mrs Chikarovski said she was "horrified" by the allegations aired on June 11, 2003, and did not believe them.
On that day, McGaw - who is also known for his role as Hammer on TV's Gladiators - was given a 12-month good behaviour bond, with no conviction recorded, after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Boucheron. He had pulled her from his car after she refused to get out.
Ms Boucheron was employed at McGaw's personal fitness company as a manager, and had lived with him in his Bellevue Hill apartment.
The show reported that "underneath his muscled, smiling face lurked a demon, a psychological disorder, which led to explosive violence", the court heard.
Yesterday McGaw's barrister, Tom Molomby, SC, told the court that in one of the alleged incidents, Ms Boucheron had in fact injured herself during a drunken tantrum. She was "quite berserk", jumping on a bed when she fell through the slats, he said.
In the car incident, she had tried to climb through the window, Mr Molomby said, and her bruises were because she was "kicking under the dashboard of the car, she had wrapped herself in the seatbelt She had her legs in the window of the car with her arms on the roof."
He said McGaw and Ms Boucheron had never been in a sexual relationship.
Mr Molomby said the show was "viciously distorted".
"Ms Boucheron is a manipulative and dishonest person," he said. "There's no record at all of any horrific injuries. It's a fairytale."
The hearing continues.
http://smh.com.au/news/national/highprofile-friends-back-rugby-star/2005/11/14/1131951099011.html
November 15, 2005
The reputation of former rugby league international Mark McGaw - who pleaded guilty in 2003 to having assaulted a female business partner and flatmate - has been "completely destroyed" by a "viciously distorted" current affairs report, a court has heard.
Business and sporting personalities are expected to rally behind McGaw, 41, in a damages hearing after a jury found he was defamed by a Today Tonight story.
Yesterday a close friend and former Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski, told the NSW Supreme Court that McGaw was "absolutely shattered" after Louise Boucheron accused him on the Channel Seven show of bashing her so brutally she had to be admitted to hospital.
Ms Boucheron, who was paid $10,000 for the interview, alleged McGaw assaulted her three times, the court heard.
Mrs Chikarovski said she was "horrified" by the allegations aired on June 11, 2003, and did not believe them.
On that day, McGaw - who is also known for his role as Hammer on TV's Gladiators - was given a 12-month good behaviour bond, with no conviction recorded, after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Boucheron. He had pulled her from his car after she refused to get out.
Ms Boucheron was employed at McGaw's personal fitness company as a manager, and had lived with him in his Bellevue Hill apartment.
The show reported that "underneath his muscled, smiling face lurked a demon, a psychological disorder, which led to explosive violence", the court heard.
Yesterday McGaw's barrister, Tom Molomby, SC, told the court that in one of the alleged incidents, Ms Boucheron had in fact injured herself during a drunken tantrum. She was "quite berserk", jumping on a bed when she fell through the slats, he said.
In the car incident, she had tried to climb through the window, Mr Molomby said, and her bruises were because she was "kicking under the dashboard of the car, she had wrapped herself in the seatbelt She had her legs in the window of the car with her arms on the roof."
He said McGaw and Ms Boucheron had never been in a sexual relationship.
Mr Molomby said the show was "viciously distorted".
"Ms Boucheron is a manipulative and dishonest person," he said. "There's no record at all of any horrific injuries. It's a fairytale."
The hearing continues.
http://smh.com.au/news/national/highprofile-friends-back-rugby-star/2005/11/14/1131951099011.html
