Former All Blacks star found guilty and sentenced for domestic violence
Byron-Kelleher-former-All-Black-2015-Alamy
Former All Blacks, Highlanders, Chiefs and Toulouse scrum-half Byron Kelleher has been found guilty in a Paris court of domestic violence, according to French media reports.
AFP reported that the 47-year-old received a suspended sentence of six months for domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend when he returned to France to visit their son.
Kelleher, who made 57 Test appearances for New Zealand between 1999 and 2007, must also pay a fine of €1,000 as well as €800 in compensation to his former partner.
Under the influence of alcohol
The court found that in June of last year, while under the influence of alcohol, Kelleher attacked the mother of their son and assaulted her in her face and body.
The ex-girlfriend told the court that she was dragged down a corridor by Kelleher, who was pulling her hair.
“I don’t recognise the facts,” said Kelleher. “It’s not true.”
Kelleher also denied that he was drunk and said he does not have “a problem with alcohol”.
“I drink like everyone else drinks,” he added. Kelleher revealed that he had “had a few glasses of rose” with a friend on the night of the crime.
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He said his former partner attacked him and he only defended himself by grabbing her wrists.
“She broke my tooth,” he said.
The ex-girlfriend, who laid a complaint against Kelleher more than a month after the incident, said she “saw herself dying”.
“He scares me,” she said.
After spending most of his career as a player in New Zealand between 1997 and 2007, Kelleher joined French club Toulouse after the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France and spent four seasons at the Top 14 heavyweights.
Altercation with the police
In 2009, he was involved in an altercation with the police following a brawl after an accident while driving under the influence of alcohol.
In 2013, Kelleher was also briefly taken into police custody for “drunk driving” in Bordeaux and he received a €200 fine in 2017 for damage and domestic violence committed in 2016 with another woman.