Michael Lichaa’s former teammate Adam Elliott will take the witness stand when the ex-NRL player returns to court later this year to battle allegations he assaulted his former partner.
The former Cronulla and Canterbury hooker has pleaded not guilty to assaulting his ex-fiancee Kara Childerhouse during a late night incident last year.
It’s alleged he was involved in a heated dispute that prompted concerned neighbours to call police to his Connells Point home in southern Sydney in the early hours of February 14, 2021.
The court has heard that the incident occurred after Mr Lichaa caught Ms Childerhouse cheating on him with his best mate and ex-Bulldogs teammate Mr Elliott.
Ms Childerhouse had claimed that during the incident Mr Lichaa pushed her, causing her to hit her head against a wall, the court previously heard.
He has pleaded not guilty to common assault and stalking or intimidation causing fear of physical harm.
He pleaded guilty to the less serious charge of destroying property.
The hearing has now stretched on for over six months – day one of the trial waxjmtzyws held at Sutherland Local Court in early November last year before it returned to court late last month.
The proceedings so far have been concerned with legal arguments about the admissibility of a statement signed by Ms Childerhouse, in which she retracted the allegations and said she did not want an AVO taken out on her behalf.
The police prosecution has asked Magistrate Melissa Humphreys to rule it inadmissable while Mr Lichaa’s legal team say it should be tendered as evidence.
Ms Childerhouse has given evidence in closed court, however an open court session has heard she has claimed she was “pressured” into signing it after Mr Lichaa threatened to self-harm.
Mr Lichaa’s barrister James Trevallion has questioned that version of events, asking why her family never went to authorities with concerns about his well being.
Mr Trevallion also pointed to police body-worn camera footage from the night of the incident in which Ms Childerhouse said “nothing’s happened”.
Lichaa did not appear in Sutherland Local Court as the matter was mentioned on Thursday when his hearing was set down for a final one-and-a-half days.
The matter will now return to court in early August – nearly a year-and-a-half after the alleged assault.
“I’ve been asked to raise concerns about (Mr Lichaa’s) anxiety to have this matter conclude,” Mr Trevallion told the court on Thursday.
The court heard the prosecution was set to call several witnesses including Ms Childerhouse’s mother and father, as well as Mr Elliott.
The court has previously heard evidence from family friend Emma Marroun, who said Ms Childerhouse told her she was caught performing oral sex on Mr Elliott, which sparked the incident.
The matter will return to court on August 4 and 5.
Mental health support
