Footballer Joseph Salmon to be arrested after alleged bail breach

A young Aussie Rules player facing more than 30 DV charges has had his bail revoked and a warrant issued for his arrest, after allegedly crossing state borders and breaking a contact order. Find out the latest from court.

Joseph Salmon in his days playing for North Shore.

Latest, October 10: A warrant has been issued for a NT footballer facing more than 30 domestic-violence-related charges after he allegedly crossed state borders in breach of his bail agreement.

Police allege Joseph Salmon, 23, was found to have reentered the NT in breach of his bail terms prompting a warrant for his arrest.

Mr Salmon, who has been on bail orders not to return to the NT and has played football for GFNL club North Shore the past two seasons, faces 44 charges including 27 counts of aggravated assault, dating between October, 2022 and January last year.

Joseph Salmon playing for North Shore.

He was bailed in the Darwin Local Court last August to live in Grovedale in Victoria.

Prosecutor Tamara Grealy flagged Mr Salmon had made contact with complainants and indicated he was back in the jurisdiction in a preliminary examination mention on Wednesday.

This information was further confirmed by Mr Salmon’s lawyer, NAAJA’s Andrew McCowan, on Thursday, who stated he was now in the remote community of Gapuwiyak.

The St Mary’s premiership and NTFL representative player was also allegedly found to have made “ongoing contact” with the complainants in the matter as recently as last week.

“I received additional information from the complainants that there was contact again last week, where he called them to tell them that he would be entering an early plea,” Ms Grealy said.

“He invited one of them over to his property and indicated that he intended to burn the statements, asked about her child, matters that have given rise to a real apprehension by the complainant.

“There’s persuasive evidence before the court that he’s breached it in pretty fundamental ways.”

Joseph Salmon playing for St Mary's at TIO Stadium. Picture: Glenn Campbell

After confirming Mr Salmon was back in the Top End, Mr McCowan did not dispute bail being revoked.

Judge Therese Austin revoked his current bail and put a warrant out for Mr Salmon’s arrest and ordered he hand himself into police officers.

“He had conditions that he was to remain there and not to come to the Territory, and he wasn’t to contact either of the complainants of this matter,” she said.

“They’re really, really serious allegations at this stage of domestic violence over a lengthy period of time.

“The fact he is in the Northern Territory in contradiction of the bail that was granted and the fact he is allegedly making contact in breach of a bail and a full non-contact order is of really significant concern.”

Territory footballer accused of ‘serious’ DV bail breach

Initial, October 9: A Northern Territory footballer facing more than 30 domestic violence-related charges allegedly breached a non-contact order as recently as last week, a court has heard.

Joseph Salmon, 23, who was bailed in the Darwin Local Court last August to live in Grovedale in Victoria, also allegedly breached those restrictions by indicating he had entered the Territory.

The former NTFL representative and St Mary’s premiership player will have his bail reviewed on Thursday after he allegedly made contact with a complainant – with Mr Salmon required to attend court if he is in the NT.

If he is not in the NT, he will have to provide proof of being in Victoria.

Mr Salmon, who has been on bail orders not to return to the NT and has played football for GFNL club North Shore the past two seasons, faces 44 charges including 27 counts of aggravated assault, dating between October, 2022 and January last year.

Joseph Salmon playing for North Shore.

One alleged incident involved him punching his pregnant partner in the stomach, causing ongoing pain and the need for surgical intervention for a ruptured fallopian tube.

Mr Salmon’s case has been adjourned multiple times in court since his initial appearance last year

On Wednesday, prosecutor Tamara Grealy told a preliminary examination mention in the Darwin Local Court heard there had been “ongoing contact” between Salmon and two complainants over the past month.

She said Mr Salmon had also indicated he had returned to the NT, in an alleged breach of his bail conditions.

“I received additional information from the complainants today that there was contact again last week, where he called them to tell them that he would be entering an early plea,” Ms Grealy said.

“He invited one of them over to his property and indicated that he intended to burn the statements, asked about her child, matters that have given rise to a real apprehension by the complainant.

“There’s persuasive evidence before the court that he’s breached it in pretty fundamental ways.”

Joseph Salmon leaves Geelong Law Courts on a previous occasion. Picture: Brad Fleet

Judge Therese Austin said the allegations were serious and the prosecution’s application to revoke bail had to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Mr Salmon’s lawyer, NAAJA’s Andrew McCowan, said he was not aware where his client currently was but had spoken to him last week.

Judge Austin called on Mr McCowan to speak to his client as soon as possible.

“There’s serious allegations of contact breaches … that they could involve threats or invitations of contact,” she said.

“(The prosecution say) your client’s not in Victoria, that your client’s in the Northern Territory, that he’s contacting at least one complainant … in breach of a formal non-contact order and in breach of his bail.”