Fashion designer Wayne Cooper has been charged with domestic violence for allegedly pushing his ex-wife, Sarah Marsh. At the court hearing today, the 45-year-old received a two-year good behaviour bond, while charges of stalking and intimidation were dismissed.
Records presented in court revealed an exchange filled with expletives between Cooper and Marsh, in which Marsh claimed she sustained bruises from their altercation.
Domestic violence, or DV, refers to various abusive behaviors within an intimate relationship. This includes physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, and social abuse, and it can occur across all ages, races, genders, and religions.
Wayne Cooper is facing charges of common assault and breaching an apprehended violence order after the alleged incident at their home in Tamarama, Sydney’s eastern suburbs. He will appear again in Waverley Local Court later today.
Cooper gained fame in the 90s with his fashion labels, Brave and Wayne Cooper, which were sold in boutiques and Myer department stores. His collections were featured at Australian Fashion Week and on the reality show Australia’s Next Top Model. Cooper applied to have both his name and his family’s name suppressed in relation to the charges against him, which carry serious consequences if convicted.
Next Tuesday, Cooper will appear in Waverley Local Court to face these charges related to the alleged assault on his estranged wife, Sarah Marsh. A judge will then decide on his bail status. The two-time reality TV star, Marsh, accused Cooper of pushing her during an emotional outburst shortly after her gall bladder cancer surgery last June. This led to a legal dispute over their Tamarama home.
Former model Stephanie Cooper testified that Wayne Cooper caused bruises and scratches during an incident where he allegedly pushed her against a glass door. The judge will consider factors like potential danger to society, flight risk, and any history of violence before deciding on bail for Cooper.
Wayne Cooper pleaded not guilty today in Waverley Local Court to the charges of assault causing actual physical harm, common assault, and intimidation. Through his lawyer, he requested that his name be suppressed from court records. Cooper is expected to go to trial soon.
Under police bail conditions, Cooper cannot return to his Tamarama home unless accompanied by police and can only communicate with Sarah Marsh through legal representatives. An interim apprehended violence order has been issued against him.
Today, a magistrate will decide whether Cooper can return home without a police escort and if he can contact Sarah Marsh and their children only through legal representatives as part of his bail conditions. Cooper’s attorney, Ian McClintock, informed the court that both parties had hostile intentions, leading to an altercation shortly after Marsh underwent cancer surgery. Consequently, a two-year good behaviour bond and an apprehended domestic violence order were issued against Marsh. Cooper will next appear before Waverley Local Court on Friday.