NZ-born rugby league player Ramon Filipine charged after alleged balcony push leaves man paraplegic

Rugby league player Ramon Filipine has been accused of pushing a man from a balcony, leaving him paraplegic.

A New Zealand-born rugby league player has been granted bail in a Queensland court after being accused of pushing a man from a balcony, leaving him paraplegic.

Ramon Filipine, 40, was granted bail after appearing in Southport Magistrates Court last month, having been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm while armed/in company and grievous bodily harm, the Daily Mail reports.

Police allege Filipine and two other men went to the house of 52-year-old Ashley Sabry on August 9, seeking a refund for a 2013 Nissan Pulsar sold days earlier.

The altercation escalated to the first-floor balcony of Sabry’s home and he fell from the balcony to the ground. He sustained a serious spinal injury and has been left a paraplegic.

The court heard it’s alleged Sabry was pushed by Filipine, who then struck him with timber.

He was arrested on August 14, while a 33-year-old man from Forest Lake faces the same charges.

Filipine’s lawyer Karl Brandon told the court it was said his client pushed Sabry into the balustrade and “the whole thing gave way”, the Daily Mail reports.

Filipine was born in New Zealand but moved to Queensland as a child and has lived there since. He is a father of five with another child due in the coming weeks.

He is due to appear back in court on September 17 and in the interim must not contact Sabry, Sabry’s family or visit their home.

A family friend of Sabry set up a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $200,000.

Filipine has experienced a number of highs and lows during his career, having played more than 200 Queensland Cup games between the Ipswich Jets and South Logan Magpies.

In 2012, he was stripped of his Player of the Year award and sacked by the Jets for repeated off-field incidents involving alcohol, the last of which involved him throwing a beer can at a person.

Later, as captain of the Goodna Eagles, he helped the team win back-to-back Ipswich A Grade rugby league titles and was named player of the year in 2016.

In 2018, he copped a 12-month ban after he was put on report for a shoulder charge and subsequent contrary conduct.