Muslim woman to end Gold Coast holiday after alleged assault at Q1 hotel

LAYLA Jheir was allegedly groped and threatened with a bomb blast at her hotel and says she will cut short her trip after the “devastating” experience.

GCB Layla Jheir supplied Meagan Weymes STORY

A PERSONAL trainer from Sydney who was allegedly assaulted and threatened at a Gold Coast hotel because she is Muslim will end her family holiday early after the “devastating” experience.

French-born Melbourne man Francky Guise, 37, was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly assaulted 25-year-old Layla Jheir and spat in her teenage brother’s face at the Q1 Hotel in Surfers Paradise.

Ms Jheir, who was born in Australia, was wearing a headscarf at the time and was with her mother who is in her 60s, her younger sister and younger brother.

Police will allege that Guise grabbed the breast of the woman, who was wearing Muslim attire, then allegedly made reference to her being an animal. They also allege he told her family “We’re going to bomb you all”.

Ms Jheir declined to comment but asked for Hussin Goss, the president of the Islamic Society of the Gold Coast, to speak on her behalf.

Mr Goss said he spoke to Ms Jheir at length following the incident and said it was upsetting for her and her family.

“They’re devastated – they’re leaving the Gold Coast as they’re so upset,” he said.

“They were supposed to spend another week here.”

Since the incident, Mr Goss said he’d received more than 200 emails from concerned members of the Muslim community on the Gold Coast.

Francky Guise leaves Southport Watchhouse after being charged over an alleged racist attack in Surfers Paradise.

“We’re going to support her all the way in the coming months and put our full weight behind her, as she’s done nothing wrong,” he said.

“They’re just a normal family who came to the Gold Coast for a holiday. What sort of example does this set now?

“With the Commonwealth Games coming up in 2018 and with about half the Commonwealth countries being Muslim, it doesn’t give a good example for the Gold Coast.”

In a story on the blog Unveiled Thought, Ms Jheir said she was a mother-of-three with a black belt in taekwondo.

“Islam has taught me the importance of respecting others for who they are, wherever they have come from, whatever faith they follow,” she was quoted saying in the story.

“Islam teaches me to respect everyone equally – remember we are all free to make our own choices in life.”

Guise appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday charged with two counts of common assault and one count of making threats to cause detriment.

Solicitor Michael Bosscher questioned the decision to charge Guise with threats to cause detriment, an offence with a maximum of five years imprisonment.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan also questioned whether the case would be handed up to a higher court and said the charge was “wrong”.

Guise will next appear in court on January 14.

Originally published as Muslim woman to end Gold Coast holiday after alleged assault at Q1 hotel