Rugby league star breaks down in tears as he is cleared of GBH
Rugby league star Anthony Gelling, 30, breaks down in tears as he is cleared of GBH after punching his ex-girlfriend in the face and breaking the bones in her nose and eye socket after she ‘reversed her car into him’
- Anthony Gelling, 30, was accused of assaulting Toni Mackey at home last year
- Court heard how his punch broke bones, chipped a tooth and caused black eye
- Today, a jury found the New-Zealand born centre not guilty of inflicting GBH
- Gelling put his head in his hands when verdict returned and wept tears of relief
Rugby league star Anthony Gelling broke down in tears as he was cleared of inflicting grievous bodily harm on his ex-girlfriend who he punched in the face after she ‘reversed her car into him’.
New-Zealand born centre Gelling, 30, was accused of assaulting Toni Mackey on February 6 last year at his home in Widnes, Cheshire.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how the punch he threw as she sat behind the steering wheel broke bones in her nose and eye socket, chipped a tooth and caused a black eye and a cut over her right eyebrow.
Today he was found not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm following four hours of deliberations by a jury of six women and six men at Liverpool Crown Court.
Gelling, who told how he acted in self-defence to stop Toni reversing into him in their Hyundai, put his head in his hands when the verdict was returned and wept tears of relief as the jurors left the courtroom.
New-Zealand born centre Anthony Gelling (pictured on May 17), 30, was accused of assaulting Toni Mackey on February 6 at his home in Widnes, Cheshire. He was acquitted today
Speaking outside court afterwards, the 6ft 4in athlete said: ‘I am so relieved. I am just glad I had the chance to be heard and justice to be done.’
Gelling, who is playing to fly back to his homeland next week, added: ‘I just want to see my kids.’
His daughters, aged two and ten, are currently in New Zealand along with his ex-partner who gave evidence via video link during the four-day trial.
Gelling was playing for Wigan Warriors at the time of the incident.
Toni described him as controlling and claimed that the ‘angry pills’ he took – magnesium and zinc tablets – had affected him.
Toni, who was going out for lunch, had refused to let him get their baby’s pram out of the boot of their car.
Gelling with Toni Mackey. Today he was found not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm following four hours of deliberations by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court
Gelling explained he wanted to get the pram so he could take their baby to collect their other child from school later that day in case she was not back in time.
The prosecution claimed it had been an act of aggression. But Gelling said he had been acting in self-defence when Toni continued to reverse, leaving him trapped by the driver’s door and an adjacent garage door, fearing he would be injured.
Gelling had gone out to get the pram while she was upstairs but Toni came out to the car and went past him and got in.
The court heard how Toni said “yes, like I’m going to forget to get my f***ing daughter” before Gelling said ‘just in case’ and she replied: ‘Yes because a f***ing useless mum can’t do it herself’.
Gelling said she started to reverse slowly, adding: ‘I took a couple of steps back and when she kept reversing I moved to the side by the garage. I tapped on the rear window and told her to stop.’
Liverpool Crown Court, pictured. Speaking outside court afterwards, athlete said: ‘I am so relieved. I am just glad I had the chance to be heard and justice to be done’ (file photo)
He said there was a button inside the vehicle which opens the boot and he opened the driver’s door to push it.
Asked about that decision, he admitted, ‘It was a stupid decision. I should just have stayed out of the way.’
He continued: ‘The car lurched backwards and got my right leg knocking me off balance. I hopped onto my left leg and put my foot out and yelled “stop.”
‘I just panicked, there was a lot of adrenaline. I punched her. I just wanted to stop the car. I thought I was going to be run over.’
He added that he had not wanted to hurt her.
Auckland-born Gelling first came through the ranks of the Sydney Roosters in the NRL before making more than 100 appearances for Wigan in the Super League.
He went back to New Zealand in 2017 before returning to the UK in 2018 to play for Widnes Vikings before signing for Challenge Cup Winners Warrington.
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