[Content warning: this article contains distressing themes of assault and violence.]

Former Channel Nine star Cameron Williams is no stranger to the public eye, but unfortunately, it’s for all the wrong reasons this time.

The veteran sports presenter has been charged with one count of common assault against his wife Natasha Russo and will face Singleton Local Court on Thursday, November 24.

According to reports, officers were called to the couple's property at Howes Valley (on the outskirts of Singleton, NSW) just after 1 AM on Sunday, November 20, following an argument between the pair.

It is alleged that during the argument, Williams pushed and grabbed his wife —- leading to his arrest and eventual charge.

Police also took out an apprehended violence order (AVO) on behalf of Russo before Williams was granted conditional bail.

According to NSW police, an AVO is granted to victims of physical assault and harassment who have ‘a reasonable fear to believe that (the) behaviour will continue’.

Paul McGirr, Williams' solicitor, told reporters that his client was a 'loving family man who was extremely embarrassed by all of this'.

Williams was granted conditional bail. Credit: YouTube/South Coast TV

'At this stage, there's a lot more to the story; we'll enter a plea of not guilty and obtain a brief of evidence before taking things from there.' he added.

A brief of evidence is a collection of documents such as photographs and statements that police may use in hearings against a defendant. It is, in some cases, ordered given to an offending party who pleads not guilty to an offence in NSW.

In March, Williams shocked the sports community with his abrupt resignation over unspecified health reasons.

‘It’s with a heavy heart I have decided to resign from (Channel) Nine… I have struggled for years with increasingly poor health and I want to address that now for the sake of a more important team, my family.’ he said in a message to network staff.

There are speculations though it was a ‘heated and angry’ exchange with a network executive that led to his exit, which spokespersons for Nine have denied happening.

Williams served in some of Channel Nine’s flagship programs, including Today, Nine News, and Friday Night Football. He has also worked with other news outlets like The Australian, The Courier-Mail, and Channel Seven.

One in 6 women and 1 in 16 men are victims of violence by an intimate partner according to 2018 data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In terms of reports, 75% of perpetrators are men, while 25% are women.

Meanwhile, the NSW government invested almost $500 million last year to create around 275 refuges and new homes for women to create more safe spaces for abuse victims.

A national plan to address violence against women and children (VAWC) was also launched in October, which has actions dedicated to eradicating VAWC in the next decade.

The Albanese government said the scheme would focus on four pillars: prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing.

If you or anyone you know are a victim of abuse, please contact the National Sexual Assault, Family, & Domestic Violence Counselling Service’s 24/7 hotline on 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

What is your reaction to this story? Please tell us in the comments section below.

Source: YouTube/9 News Australia​

 

[Observer]

Do the crime do the time, never an occasion to strike a woman no matter the circumstances, just walk away, remove yourself from the situation.

It should actually work both ways as it is not unheard of that the female is the instigator, not necessarily the male.

 

[Ezzy]

There is always 2 sides to a story.
But if he was abusive then he needs to suffer the consequences.
Abuse in any circumstance is not OK.

My 22 year old son was walking in Cronulla with a few mates after a night out , when one of his friends was king hit from behind, the attacker then started to kick into his head, he was unconscious.
My son jumped in and pulled him off him , he then started attacking my son but was son got the better of him and beat the crap out off him.
An ambulance came took my sons friend to hospital and the police took the attacker and my son off to the police station and charged them both.

My son went to court , copped a $2,000 fine plus court cost and put on a 2 year good behaviour with a record, he also lost his spot playing for NSW cricket.

The attacker cost less than my son.

My son is not abusive but he said he would do it again to protect someone from a gronk like that

Good thing your son did jump in, his mate could now be a vegetable with that head kicking. When will the Police learn to look at an assault with an open mind instead of assuming how a situation evolved & ensuing events. I am sorry to hear how your son was treated for saving his mate from greater harm.
( I know of someone who was attacked, was alone & had his head beaten in, ended up a vegetable & was moved back home by his parents. Had someone fought off the attacker/ attackers, perhaps he would have been better off today. No one was ever charged ).