An ex-girlfriend of NRL player Matthew Lodge says she ‘lived the cycle of domestic abuse’ during a two-year relationship with him.
Charlene Saliba, a 26-year-old Sydney primary school teacher, has told News Corp Australia the abuse began with controlling behaviour and escalated.
‘It started with controlling behaviour, then name-calling, then came the emotional abuse, he started throwing things, physically restraining me, (he) spat in my face, then pushing and shoving me, which then lead to threats on my life,’ Ms Saliba said on Sunday.
Charlene Saliba, 26, claims the footballer threatened to kill her and spat at her
Charlene Saliba, 26, the ex-partner of disgraced NRL player Matthew Lodge has spoken out
The ex-partner of disgraced NRL player Matthew Lodge has spoken out about suffering domestic abuse at the hands of the footballer
News Corp Australia, citing police and court documents, reports Lodge pleaded guilty in mid-2016 to assault and was given a two-year good behaviour bond without conviction.
Ms Saliba came forward after Lodge said in an interview last week he’d never assaulted any women, News Corp reports.
Lodge returned to the NRL in the season-opener when the Broncos lost 34-12 to St George Illawarra.
The comeback was overshadowed by controversy over his infamous 2015 New York rampage.
Lodge pleaded guilty to a reckless assault charge over the incident where he told a female German tourist ‘this is the night you die’ before following her into another family’s apartment and assaulting the man who came to her rescue.
Comment is being sought from Lodge, the Broncos and the NRL.
She claims he elbowed and punched her in the face during their relationship
Lodge spent two weeks in a US prison for the attack before being ordered to pay $1.6million to his victims