Who is Harry Garside’s ex-girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe: Boxer reveals toll of domestic violence ordeal

Boxer Harry Garside has opened up about how low he got as he faced charges that he’d assaulted his ex-girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe, revealing the moment his ‘heart dropped to the floor’ before he was sensationally cleared in court.

Police dropped the charges against the 25-year-old in a Sydney court on Wednesday after his legal team produced video evidence they said showed Ruscoe was the alleged aggressor during the incident on March 1.

Garside was arrested by NSW Police in dramatic scenes at Sydney Airport as he returned home with his father after shooting the reality TV show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in South Africa.

Garfield was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe (pictured together in November last year) before the charges were dropped on Wednesday

The pair started dating in August 2021 after Garside reportedly messaged her on Instagram

The boxer told Sunrise that he hit his lowest point when he was arrested by police at Sydney Airport in dramatic scenes as he returned to Australia with his father

He told Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and David Koch that the battle to clear his name has been a turning point in his life.

‘It’s been a big weight on the shoulders for the last month, not just for me but for my family,’ he said on Thursday morning.

‘In saying that, I’m really proud of myself. I feel like it was a real boy turning into man moment. 

‘I’m only 25 so i feel like for me this is proper adversity. This is a time in my life when my back was really against the wall and I really had to pull on some things in myself.

‘The most important thing is I can look myself in the mirror and know exactly what happened and be proud of the man who stands there.’

Asked when he reached his lowest point, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist didn’t hesitate to pick the moment he was confronted by the police at the airport.

Garside said he felt ‘vindicated’ when he appeared outside court after being cleared (pictured)

‘I got extremely low. That moment, my heart dropped to the floor, I’d never had to deal with cops in my life,’ he said.

‘Dad and I got off the plane, first time flying business class with my dad, one of the best experiences of my life. It was so confronting.’

Garside said he gave police his phone containing the video evidence his team produced in court, saying he had ‘many pieces of evidence’ that he showed officers.

‘It’s one of those things that you throw dirt at a wall and some of it sticks … I hope people can see through this.’

Garside and Ruscoe started dating in August 2021, with the pair sharing a love of physical fitness and reportedly meeting when Garside messaged her on Instagram.

Ruscoe (pictured on a Bali holiday) shared a love of fitness with Garside and revealed how a previous alleged violent incident from her past inspired her to create her Hit Like A Girl personal training business

Ruscoe, a wellness coach and fitness expert, competed in the 2019 season of Channel Ten’s Amazing Race reality TV show with her then-boyfriend, Sidney Pierucci.

She has also worked for the Camilla fashion label, has a business degree from the University of Western Sydney and was often seen at red carpet events with Garside while they were still an item.

Ruscoe also revealed how a previous alleged violent incident with a partner changed her life, saying it was the ‘best thing’ that happened to her and inspired her personal training business, Hit Like A Girl.

‘I felt super disempowered, and I guess as a woman experiencing … violence, so many woman experience it in some way shape or form,’ she said during an appearance on the King Beats Fitness podcast in March 2022.

‘So when I experienced it, I was like, what is the one thing that’s going to re-empower myself, and it was through combat sport.

‘I thought, I’m going to create a business that’s based on empowering other women and men, and I want to pass that on.’