Police are dropping the domestic violence case against former Canterbury Bulldogs star Hazem El Masri. El Masri, aged 39, had been facing two assault charges since October following an accusation of domestic violence involving his second wife, Douah El Charif. A police spokesperson stated that after ongoing assessment of gathered information, the charges have been withdrawn, and the case will not proceed further.
El Masri, who had been on bail since his arrest, was due for a hearing on Monday. His lawyer, Chris Murphy, informed ABC that after a thorough investigation, the police concluded there was no basis for El Masri to answer the charges. El Masri, known for his advocacy against domestic violence as a former White Ribbon ambassador, had previously separated from his first wife in 2014 and remarried in 2015. The alleged incident occurred at his Bankstown residence. El Masri was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault against his 25-year-old wife, to which he pleaded not guilty. Murphy stated that El Masri’s wife had admitted in a recorded phone call that the accusations were false, further indicating her history of making false claims due to psychiatric issues.
