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Alicia Gardiner, renowned for her performances in television hits like Offspring and Deadloch, initially faced charges for unlawful assault following an incident at the Victorian parliament on May 7, 2024.
In a surprising turn of events, the prosecution decided to drop the charges this afternoon during a contested hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court.
Gardiner acknowledged her participation in a group of pro-Palestine demonstrators who disrupted the Victorian treasurer’s budget speech by chanting and displaying placards in the public gallery.
As security moved to remove them, Gardiner reportedly attempted to access the legislative chamber but was blocked by two staff members at the door.
Allegations followed that Gardiner pushed one of the staff members and then proceeded to grab and twist the woman’s left breast.
The complainant, who asked not to be named, gave evidence over several hours, telling the court she felt a sharp pain like a knife and was in a state of shock.
“My view was she broke the girl code and twisted my breast,” the complainant told the court this morning.
The woman told the court Gardiner had stared at her intently before bending her head down and coming at her with her hands up.
The complainant admitted she put her own hands up to stop Gardiner from entering the legislative chamber.
“I had my hand on her and then I had the sharp pain,” the complainant told the court.
Before the lunch break, magistrate Malcolm Thomas noted it would be open for him to conclude there was a grabbing or twisting of the breast.
But once the parties returned to court at 2pm, the prosecutor applied to withdraw the assault charge.
He did not give a reason for the withdrawal.
Gardiner’s lawyer Angeline Centrone said her client would plead guilty to the remaining charge of refusing to leave a parliamentary precinct.
Centrone told the court Gardiner had always denied the assault allegation but she accepted she did not leave the parliament when told.
The lawyer noted it was her client’s first time before the court and, given her prior good character, a good behaviour bond or fine without conviction would be appropriate.
Centrone noted the life of an actor meant finances could be quite lean and Gardiner was relying on her savings.
Thomas said that sounded similar to the life of a barrister as he fined Gardiner $500 without conviction.
Outside court, Gardiner told reporters she had spent the past two years denying the assault and police had finally withdrawn the charges.
“I pled guilty today to the charge of failure to leave the parliamentary precinct,” she read from a statement.
“I was there to give voice to something important and I will continue to speak up for what I believe in.”
She refused to take questions as she walked from the court precinct.