Woman allegedly assaulted as ABC Back Roads visits small NSW town

1 week ago 9

The sojourn of the ABC TV programme Back Roads to the agrarian NSW municipality of Nimmitabel was expected to beryllium a large infinitesimal for the tiny assemblage – alternatively it ended with a antheral being arrested aft a cafe proprietor was allegedly assaulted.

Andrew Thaler, who roseate to prominence arsenic the spokesperson for the household of Cooma Taser unfortunate Clare Nowland, arrived astatine Bertie’s Cafe successful Nimmitabel connected Sunday day arsenic the ABC Back Roads unit was filming astir town.

The ABC squad had enjoyed luncheon astatine the cafe, and had been filming successful and astir the gathering each weekend, cafe proprietor Sandra Drayton said.

Andrew Thaler was a governmental campaigner successful Eden-Monaro.

Thaler, who had made societal media posts captious of the Back Roads programme and of Drayton’s cafe, arrived to face Sandra and her husband.

Drayton said Thaler and his supporters were filming the confrontation erstwhile a scuffle erupted.

“I told him to determination connected … helium got his telephone retired and things got heated, helium pushed me, I pushed him. I grabbed his telephone and past helium pushed maine up against the wall, choking me,” Drayton said.

“The full municipality is getting the champion coverage, and helium ruins it for everyone.”

An representation captured by a section appears to amusement Thaler’s arrest.

Police were called to the Bombala Street cafe astir 2pm and interviewed Drayton and a fig of witnesses.

“Officers spoke to a fig of radical pursuing an altercation astatine a adjacent cafe wherever a 48-year-old-woman and a 53-year-old antheral were allegedly assaulted,” a constabulary spokesperson said.

“A 51-year-old antheral was arrested and taken to Cooma Police Station.”

Thaler was charged with intentionally choking Drayton, battle occasioning existent bodily harm, 2 counts of communal battle and remaining connected onshore without a lawful excuse.

He was granted bail and volition look Cooma Local Court connected May 22.

Thaler has tally arsenic an autarkic governmental campaigner for the spot of Eden-Monaro and erstwhile grandma Clare Nowland was fatally Tasered astatine her aged attraction location past year, helium presented himself arsenic a spokesperson for her family.

The household aboriginal clarified that Thaler was not their spokesperson and did not correspond them.

Last twelvemonth astatine a dependable to parliament run lawsuit successful Cooma, Thaler filmed an incidental wherever a Yes protagonist appeared to spit connected him.