Kobe Rankine, brother to Crows star Izak Rankine, allowed to leave bail for a weekend to play football in Port Augusta
The brother of AFL star Izak Rankine allegedly headbutted his pregnant partner “a number of times”, court documents allege.
North & North East
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An AFL star’s brother who allegedly headbutted his pregnant partner “a number of times”, leaving her in hospital with a brain bleed, has been granted permission to vary his bail curfew conditions and attend a football tournament, a court has heard.
On Thursday, Kobe Rankine – brother to Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankine – asked the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to vary his bail curfew conditions to allow him to compete in a football carnival.
Mr Rankine’s lawyer asked the court to vary his client’s curfew so he could attend the South Australian Football and Netball State Carnival in Port Augusta over the long weekend.
“Essentially Mr Rankine is currently on curfew in relation to domestic violence matters,” his lawyer told the court.
“But there is an Indigenous football carnival on this weekend and he is hoping to travel to Port Augusta to play in that. He will be back by Tuesday.”
Mr Rankine, 25, of Port Lincoln, has been charged with one aggravated count of causing harm to a spouse or partner, without the use of a weapon.
SA Police allege the charge relates to an incident at a Port Lincoln Hotel on July 8, during which Mr Rankine’s partner sustained an injury to her head.
Court documents since released to The Advertiser by the Elizabeth Magistrates Court allege Mr Rankine had forcefully head butted his former partner a “number of times.”
SA Police allege that, while Mr Rankine was in a vehicle with his partner, he held her head “with both hands and proceeded to use his head to headbutt her to the head an unknown number of times, making contact all over her head”.
The documents also allege a witness at the location saw a car “shaking violently” during the alleged altercation.
Mr Rankine’s lawyer told magistrate Edward Stratton-Smith it would be unlikely that his client would “run into” his partner during the trip.
“He can sign in with police when he returns so they know where he is.”
Prosecutors were not opposed to the variation, despite Mr Stratton-Smith’s concern Mr Rankine was facing charges for “very serious assault”.
His curfew conditions have been lifted until the end of the football carnival.
He will return to court at a later date.
It is not suggested Izak Rankine has anything to do with his brother’s charges.
Izak Rankine has enjoyed a strong start to his first season with Adelaide after starting his AFL career at the Gold Coast Suns.
In April, Izak Rankine was the target of racial vilification on social media, which was condemned by the club.
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