Bondi Beach hero Ahmed al Ahmed has fronted court accused of assaulting his father, six months after he was celebrated for disarming a gunman during Australia’s worst terror attack.
The 44-year-old from Sydney’s south was charged earlier this month with assaulting his father and putting him in a headlock at a home in Bankstown.
He is facing one count of common assault and a second of stalking/intimidation over the alleged incident in March.
His lawyer Mohamad Sakr entered not guilty pleas to both charges and spoke for Ahmed outside court on Wednesday.
“He is a heroic man, and his honesty and dignity should be maintained until these matters are ultimately determined,” Sakr said.
“My client maintains his plea. These charges will be determined before a court of law.”
Sakr said Ahmed’s presumption of innocence must be upheld.
Ahmed tackled and disarmed Sajid Akram, 50, who was firing on crowds of Jewish families at a Chanukah festival in mid-December.
Akram and his son Naveed allegedly murdered 15 and injured dozens more in the attack, including Ahmed.
Shocking footage from the scene showed Ahmed pulling a weapon from Sajid.
Sajid was shot dead by NSW Police while Naveed was gravely wounded and is now standing trial on dozens of counts of murder, terrorism, attempted murder and wounding.
A GoFundMe page established to support Ahmed, who was hospitalised with gunshot wounds, raised more than $2.6 million in donations from almost 50,000 people, including American billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, Hollywood comedian Amy Schumer, and Charlton Howard, the given name of Australian musician Kid Laroi.
Ahmed has denied wrongdoing since being charged.
“I never hurt anyone and I never been violent,” he has previously told 2GB.
“When I disarmed the terrorist and take his gun, I throw it away. I didn’t hurt him, I’m not violent.”
His brothers Hozifa al Ahmed, 35, and Sameh al Ahmed, 33, appeared at the same court in May, charged with verbally threatening al Ahmed.
Hozifa and Sameh both entered pleas of not guilty. An interim domestic violence protection order was placed on the pair, prohibiting them from going within 100 metres of their brother or any place he lives or works.
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