Harry Garside has revealed the surprising reason that being arrested and falsely accused of domestic violence was the ‘best thing that ever happened’ to him.
The Aussie boxing champion, 27, was arrested at Sydney Airport last year as he returned home after appearing on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in South Africa.
He was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Ash Ruscoe, which he firmly denied, and police later dropped the charges after his legal team produced video evidence they said showed his ex was the alleged aggressor.
Garside has now reflected on the court case ordeal on The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show and revealed why he is now grateful for the turbulent time.
‘The way it happened and what I was getting accused of was just so heavy. I look back now and realise it was the best thing that ever happened to me,’ he shared.
‘it was just like the time in my life where I actually had to step up for myself and become my own friend and have my own back.’
He added that at a particularly low point during the ordeal, he began collecting ‘evidence’ about why he was a good person, which significantly boosted his morale.
‘That was like a bit of a turning point where it’s like, I need to change this story, this belief. I need to stop collecting the evidence I’m a terrible person,’ he went on.
Harry Garside has revealed the surprising reason that being arrested and falsely accused of domestic violence was the ‘best thing that ever happened’ to him
Last year, he was accused of assaulting his ex Ash Ruscoe and police later dropped the charges after his legal team produced video evidence they said showed his ex was the alleged aggressor
‘I started collecting evidence that I am a good person and I am. I try my best, if a mate called me right now, I would try my best to help him as much as I could.’
Garside said he never would have been prompted to do so if he didn’t go through the challenging ordeal, which he said helped him become a better person.
In May last year, Garside was cleared of charges of common assault following an investigation into claims of domestic violence between him and his former partner Ash.
All charges against him were dropped a month after he was first arrested.
Garside had returned to Australia after filming reality TV show I’m A Celebrity! in South Africa only to be taken into custody at Sydney International Airport, minutes after touching down in dramatic scenes.
On March 25, the same day Garside originally left for the show with no communication with the outside world until his elimination, Ruscoe approached police to indicate she had fears for her safety.
‘I categorically deny the allegations of violence and dispute the account given to police,’ Garside said at the time.
The following month, the Olympic boxer was vindicated after the charge and apprehended violence order was formally withdrawn.
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