Former Swan Elijah Taylor fined, gets spent conviction after assaulting ex-girlfriend
Former Sydney Swans player Elijah Taylor has been fined $5000 and granted a spent conviction after assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Lekahni Pearce, in a Perth hotel room in September.
The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Perth Magistrates Court on September 30.
Taylor had been stood down by the Swans since mid-September with the club announcing on Monday they would be officially "parting ways" with the teenager.Credit:Nine News Perth
The Swans this week sacked Taylor, who had been stood down from the club since mid-September, saying the 19-year-old's actions could "not be reconciled" following his guilty plea.
"The situation Elijah and the club has found itself in is deeply regrettable," Swans football boss Charlie Gardiner said.
"Elijah has made some very poor decisions which have led us to this point, and he acknowledges that."
Taylor was arrested on September 13 after an incident in a hotel room in Perth's CBD.
He was charged with aggravated assault and released on conditional bail after spending more than five hours with detectives at Cannington Police Station.
The youngster was already in hot water with the Swans after sneaking the same woman into the club's COVID-19 hub at Joondalup Resort in August.
Taylor, an up-and-coming midfielder-forward, was selected with pick 36 at last year's draft. He played just four senior games before being stood down.
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Marta is an award-winning photographer and journalist with a focus on social justice issues and local government.