Assault claims against AFL legend Nicky Winmar surface in court

AFL great Nicky Winmar has been accused of two assaults and of intentionally choking a person, court documents reveal.

The former St Kilda star, 59, had been listed for an application to revoke bail at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, which could have seen him thrown in jail.

However, a prosecutor asked for this to be struck out.

“The court made the decision to bail Mr Winmar on the 19th of July based on that application,” she said, as the magistrate agreed to strike it out.

Winmar faced court charged with three offences, however details of what these allege were not aired during the short hearing.

He has been charged with allegedly committing two assaults on July 18.

He is also charged with “without lawful excuse intentionally choke, strangle or suffocate” a person on the same date, according to court documents.

Winmar, whose legal name is Neil, was represented in court on Tuesday morning by his lawyer Tess Theocharous and both of them appeared via video link.

Ms Theocharous said Winmar was undergoing a court integrated services program (CISP) as a condition of his bail, which had been granted on July 18.

She asked for his matter to be adjourned so he can have time to engage with the program.

Ms Theocharous said Winmar had attended an initial appointment at the court for CISP and had another scheduled for later on Tuesday.

Magistrate Vincenzo Caltabiano agreed to adjourn his case for a month.

Winmar will next face the court on August 28.

AFL boss Andrew Dillon briefly mentioned Winmar when facing media today.

“I’m not across any of the detail with Nicky, but I think that’s something that’s terrible if someone is in court facing judges,” he said.

The AFL legend became the first Aboriginal footballer to play 200 games in the league, finishing his career with 230 games at St Kilda and 21 for the Western Bulldogs.

Winmar has faced court before - he avoided a jail sentence and was handed a community work order in 2019 for his drunken assault of a cab driver.

He fought back against a number of acts of racism throughout his football career, including standing in front of a Collingwood crowd in 1993 where he was abused.

“I’m black and I’m proud to be black,” he told the crowd, lifting his guernsey and pointing at his skin.

In March, he was asked to co-lead a landmark racism class action in the Supreme Court, brought by other retired Indigenous players including Phil Krakouer.

Phil Krakouer, who played 141 games for North Melbourne, lodged the case in the Supreme Court in September 2023, alleging senior AFL management did nothing to prevent racism within the sport.

The class action is open to any Indigenous players who claim they experienced racism, racial vilification, discrimination, abuse, violence or victimisation between 1975 and 2023, while participating in the AFL.

Outside court earlier this year, the class action’s lawyer Michel Margalit spoke about Winmar’s struggles.

“Mr Winmar suffered prolonged racial vilification in the workplace and it’s certainly culminated in that famous moment that was photographed in 1993,” she said.

“He’s been left with the mental scars of that racial vilification, in circumstances where he’s unable to walk away. So he certainly brings considerable experience, and considerable injury from those experiences.”