Soccer ref who had his jaw broken in viral brawl video fronts court on charge of assaulting a woman while working as a pub bouncer
- A football referee has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman
- Khodr Yaghi faced charges after the alleged incident at a Hornsby pub
- Yaghi had surgery to fix his broken jaw from a separate sporting incident
- It is alleged Adam Abdallah assaulted him in on-field brawl last April
A soccer referee whose jaw was broken in a shocking on-field brawl has had the tables turned against him, pleading not guilty to assaulting a woman while working as a bouncer in a northern Sydney pub.
Khodr Yaghi, who appeared at Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday sporting a futsal tracksuit, faces charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and reckless grievous bodily harm over the incident at the suburb’s Railway Hotel on March 3.
The 45-year-old reportedly missed his first court appearance last month as he was undergoing surgery on his jaw, which was left broken in three places while officiating a local football game in Sydney’s southwest on April 28.
His alleged assailant, Adam Abdallah, faces charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and affray.
Local football referee Khodr Ahmad Yaghi (pictured) has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman while working as a bouncer at a Hornsby pub
Yaghi reportedly missed his first court appearance last month as he was undergoing surgery on his jaw, which was left broken in three places during a brawl (pictured, with Yaghi on the ground) at a local football game in Sydney’s southwest on April 28
The amateur boxer was granted bail on May 31 after a new video emerged, which the prosecution said ‘changed the narrative’ of the incident.
It appeared to show Yaghi swinging first, before falling to the ground and being set upon by the 25-year-old Abdallah.
The veteran referee, who has officiated in Sydney for decades, was overwhelmed with support after the original video went viral.
Yaghi remains on bail ahead of his next hearing, set for June 19 at Downing Centre Local Court.
The soccer referee faces charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and reckless grievous bodily harm over the alleged incident at the Hornsby Railway Hotel (pictured) on March 3 this year
Yaghi’s alleged assailant, Adam Abdallah (pictured), faces charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and affray
Yaghi (pictured, right after the football-field brawl) has had surgery on his broken jaw
