Police seek to appeal Dylan Walker’s assault acquittal
The future of Manly Sea Eagles star Dylan Walker is again hanging in the balance as police challenged his not guilty finding on charges of assaulting his partner.
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The future of Manly Sea Eagles star Dylan Walker is again hanging in the balance as police challenged his not guilty finding on charges of assaulting his partner.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal police prosecutors have handed their files to the DPP to examine avenues of appeal against the decision by a magistrate to find Walker not guilty of attacking his fiancee Alexandra Ivkovic.
It can also be revealed Walker is due to again face Manly court on July 23 for an apprehended violence order hearing in relation to Ms Ivkovic.
It is understood the police request for an AVO was not part of the assault hearing and will now be heard separately next month. It is not known whether the police will push ahead with seeking the AVO on behalf of Ms Ivkovic or request that it be withdrawn.
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In regard to the not guilty finding on the assault charge, if the DPP thinks the police case has merit, an appeal will be launched in the District Court. The matter is still being considered.
As of Thursday night, Walker’s club Manly had not informed the NRL integrity unit of the latest developments.
They will continue to monitor the case but allow him to play.
A magistrate last month found Walker not guilty of domestic violence charges against his fiancee.
A police spokesman told The Daily Telegraph: “NSW Police can confirm prosecutors have requested the Director of Public Prosecutions consider an appeal of a not-guilty verdict of a 24-year-old man for common assault (DV) and assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV).”
In Manly Local Court, magistrate Michelle Goodwin dismissed the charges, saying she was not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Walker had assaulted Ms Ivkovic, a former Miss Universe Australia.
It had been alleged Walker had pulled Ms Ivkovic to the ground by her ponytail over an argument while he was playing a PlayStation video game.
In a triple-0 phone call, a terrified Ms Ivkovic told police Walker “pulled my hair and I fell down as I was holding my baby”.
She later retracted her statement.
The chilling audio, video footage from body worn police cameras and photos of Ms Ivkovic’s alleged injuries were released after the Sea Eagles centre was found not guilty.
Walker was stood down by the NRL until cleared by the court. He missed the first nine rounds of the season.
The former NSW and Australian player was arrested at his Dee Why apartment on Prescott Ave about 5pm on December 6 last year.
The triple-O operator sent an ambulance “just to make sure that your baby is okay”, and paramedics treated the 24-year-old mum for cuts to her shoulder, leg and feet.
“He was playing PlayStation, he got pissed off that I interrupted the game,” Ms Ivkovic said.
But she later told Walker’s hearing she had been in shock and did not have a firm grip on her emotions.
After calming down, she said she began “recalling things differently” and “realised he didn’t grab my hair”.
In the disturbing emergency call, the crying young mother can be heard saying: “I don’t want to be alone with him … he’s scaring me when he’s like this.”
Neighbour Lauren O’Sullivan, who went to Ms Ivkovic’s aid, previously told the court she had seen Walker yank her by the hair “very hard”.
The court heard the argument that led to the incident began after Ms Ivkovic asked Walker whether he wanted a spoon or a fork for his dinner.
The Manly Sea Eagles declined to comment.
Originally published as Police seek to appeal Dylan Walker’s assault acquittal
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