The previous College of New England vice-chancellor and chief govt Brigid Heywood has pleaded not responsible to costs of assault and offensive behaviour at Armidale native courtroom.
Monday’s courtroom point out resulted from an alleged incident at an Worldwide Ladies’s Day gathering at which Heywood appeared as a panellist.
In the course of the 8 March occasion hosted by Armidale Regional Council at a neighborhood ex-services membership, Heywood was alleged to have wiped her saliva on a teen’s face and commented on her pores and skin color.
Heywood’s authorized counsel appeared earlier than Justice of the Peace Mark Richardson to plead not responsible on her behalf.
On 1 August, Heywood was issued a courtroom attendance discover outlining a cost of widespread assault and offensive behaviour close to a public place or college.
A press release issued by UNE chancellor James Harris on 5 August acknowledged that she strenuously denied there was any fact to the allegations and would defend them.
Heywood resigned on the identical day.
The Nationwide Tertiary Schooling Union (NTEU) and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall had beforehand weighed in on whether or not Heywood ought to step apart till the conclusion of the trial.
The 64-year-old organic scientist is from the English port metropolis of Hull and had a distinguished tutorial and analysis profession in the UK, New Zealand and Tasmania, earlier than taking on the UNE vice-chancellor’s place in 2019.
Heywood is at present listed as a member of the chance and audit committee of the Australian Nuclear Science and Know-how Organisation, a statutory federal authorities physique. Her 2020 appointment to the New South Wales Innovation and Productiveness Council of the NSW Treasury was to final till 2023.
The subsequent courtroom date for Heywood is scheduled for 14 November.
The utmost penalty for widespread assault in NSW is 2 years’ imprisonment and/or a advantageous of $5,500.
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