A former Brisbane rugby league player and kickboxer is scheduled to stand trial for the assault and attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend. The Brisbane Magistrates Court heard testimony from the alleged victim detailing an incident on June 28, 2024, where her then-partner, identified as Auzzie Tuwhangai, allegedly grabbed her by the throat twice with what she described as full strength.
During the alleged assault, the woman reported crying out to God for help, believing she was going to die. She told the court that Tuwhangai grabbed her by the jaw and face before seizing her throat and dragging her towards a bathroom. She attempted to resist by holding onto walls and kicking him in the genitals, and tried to close the bathroom door, but he reportedly pushed his way in. The victim stated she tried to break free and reach the bathroom vanity while Tuwhangai choked her with both hands.
Under cross-examination, the woman conceded that she had slapped Tuwhangai on the legs and face the day before the alleged assault and acknowledged that "a lot was said" between them, though she could not recall the exact words. She also stated that the fight was brief, possibly lasting less than five or ten minutes.
Tuwhangai faces two counts of attempted murder, two counts of common assault, and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, all classified as domestic violence offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Separately, Tuwhangai, a former North Devils player, pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching his bail on July 13. He had previously spent eight months in custody before being released on strict bail conditions in February, which included wearing an ankle monitor. In April, an attempt to have the monitor removed was unsuccessful, with Tuwhangai claiming it interfered with his kickboxing training.
His lawyer in the bail matters, Zane Chapman, attributed two of the breaches to oversights, stating Tuwhangai claimed "the day had gotten away." One instance involved failing to report to police because he was reportedly making music with a friend and only realized the time after the station had closed for the day. Chapman noted that his client made "stupid decisions in not being responsible for his obligations."
Magistrate Ross Mack fined Tuwhangai a total of $2,250 for the bail breaches and convicted him on two of those counts. Tuwhangai has been committed to stand trial on the domestic violence matters, with a date yet to be set.