Former Knights co-captain Jeremy Smith breaches AVO, fights with wife at traffic lights in Newcastle
On the same day former NRL player Jeremy Smith went to court last year to fight an apprehended violence order taken out against him, court papers revealed he broke it.
Newcastle
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On the same day ex-Newcastle Knights player Jeremy Smith went to court last year to fight an apprehended violence order (AVO) taken out against him, court papers have revealed he broke it.
The relationship between Smith and his wife Jody Smith appeared to break down after an AVO was taken out against the former NRL player in October last year.
Police facts said during an alleged incident Smith is believed to have damaged two internal walls of his wife’s property in Hamilton in the early hours of October 12.
In a relationship for 20 years, the pair had recently separated.
The 39-year-old who co-captained the Knights in 2016 before retiring that year, fronted Newcastle Local Court on October 31 to make amendments to the AVO imposed.
The AVO meant he must not come within 100 metres of his wife, with whom he has four children.
But on that same day, court papers revealed Smith breached that AVO in a brief meeting at a set of traffic lights in Newcastle West, which he pleaded guilty to.
On his way to Newcastle Local Court that morning, Smith pulled up at the traffic lights on Stewart Ave, waiting to turn right onto King St, before his wife drove up behind him in a van.
Court documents stated Ms Smith did not know he was inside the vehicle before Smith then started to reverse backwards towards her, stopping before there was a collision.
Smith got out of his vehicle and yelled “F*ck you, f*ck off”, before getting back in the driver’s seat, staying stationary for a full cycle of traffic lights before driving off.
Both attended the court hearing that morning, before Ms Smith made a statement to police about the incident.
Smith later called Newcastle police station to inform them he was returning back to Queensland and said: “I got out of the car telling her to go away as I thought I was in breach of an AVO.”
That matter was listed in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday and was adjourned until Friday for sentence.
Smith is also expected to plead not guilty in the same court on Friday to two domestic violence charges relating to the October 12 allegations.
The former Kiwi international was charged with stalk or intimidate to cause fear of physical or mental harm and intentionally damage property to the sum of more than $2000. The AVO is to remain in place until the matter is resolved.
Smith who was involved with the Knights on game days in 2019, is also playing for South Newcastle in the Newcastle Rugby League competition, after he signed with the Lions earlier last year.
Before the forwards four years with the Knights, he also played with the Melbourne Storm, St George Illawarra Dragons and Cronulla Sharks between 2004 and 2012. He also notched up 22 test game for New Zealand.