No bail for boxer Ahmed Elomar for attack at Muslim protest
Peter Bodkin
January 24, 201312:41PM
A CHAMPION boxer charged with beating an officer with a two-metre pole during last year's CBD riot thought the Muslim protests would be peaceful - but brought a balaclava along anyway.
Ahmed Elomar, 29, a two-time national boxing titleholder, was this morning refused bail in the Supreme Court on charges stemming from the violent scenes last September.
The father-of-three allegedly hit a constable with a flagpole during the angry uprising and also threw a "missile" at police, who he is then accused of attacking as they tried to arrest him.
The court was told that in an interview with a doctor after the incident, he claimed he only went to the protest because "it was meant to be peaceful".
Justice Robert Hulme said it was "very concerning" that Elomar had gone to the public gathering carrying a full-face balaclava - which he was later seen wearing.
"You wonder why he would do that if (the protest) was peaceful," he said.
Elomar was one of several men arrested following the protests, which drew up to 1000 participants in response to the posting of an anti-Islamic film on YouTube.
His lawyer Leah Rowan said the 29-year-old was suffering early-onset dementia as a result of numerous head injuries he had suffered and the condition left him "susceptible to outside influence".
"Without treatment … his condition is possibly going to deteriorate but it is not going to improve, that goes without saying," she said.
Ms Rowan said Elomar would live under the "watchful eye" of his mother - who was in court for the bail hearing - and with his wife and children in the family home.
But Justice Hulme refused him bail, noting Elomar had a history of breaching court orders and had even been charged again - with possessing a contraband mobile phone - while he was being held in custody.
Elomar appeared on a video-link from Long Bail jail sporting a beard and with his long hair drawn back in a ponytail for the court appearance.
He has been in custody since his arrest in September and has not entered a plea to the most serious charge of wounding an officer,
which carries a maximum 14-year jail term.
Elomar was initially accused only of affray, but additional charges were laid after police reviewed video footage of the violent clashes during which bottles, rocks and pieces of timber were thrown.
He returns to court next week.
Former boxer Ahmed Elomar
Refused Bail Bail by Magistrate Clare Farnan in Central Local Court
Tuesday 18 9 12.
Insolent Supporters Mock Court
Backers taunted the court
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