Moira Deeming misunderstood meaning of ‘headlock’ but won’t apologise to Matthew Guy for assault allegation

While Moira Deeming alleged Matthew Guy placed her in a form of headlock, the police said no offence was detected. Composite: AAP View image in fullscreen While Moira Deeming alleged Matthew Guy placed her in a form of headlock, the police said no offence was detected. Composite: AAP Moira Deeming misunderstood meaning of ‘headlock’ but won’t apologise to Matthew Guy for assault allegation The Victorian Liberal MP says the interaction with her colleague left her fearful and confused Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming says she misunderstood the “technical meaning of the term ‘headlock’”, but will not apologise to her colleague Matthew Guy over the allegation he assaulted her. Last week, it was revealed Deeming had in June reported to police that Guy, the opposition’s public transport spokesperson, had assaulted her at a Macedonian community event in Sunshine, Melbourne in May. Deeming alleged Guy had placed her in a form of headlock. CCTV footage of the event was circulated on Thursday, with police confirming that evening they had concluded their investigation, with no offence detected. In a statement released to media on Monday, Deeming’s lawyer, Cornerstone Legal’s Tim Houweling, said her complaint was based on her own recollection and after CCTV footage was released to media, she was able to view it for the first time. Houweling said Deeming, who is currently overseas, conceded she misunderstood the technical meaning of ‘headlock’. “She accepts that she misunderstood the technical meaning of the term ‘headlock’, but maintains that she used it in good faith to describe what happened,” she said. “Without attributing motive to the other party, our client maintains that from her perspective this physical contact by a senior male colleague in the workplace was unexpected, unwelcome, physically painful and caused her to feel fear and confusion.” 0:26 CCTV footage shows interaction between Matthew Guy and Moira Deeming – video Houweling said Deeming would not apologise “for making what has been described as a ‘false complaint’ to Victoria Police”. “She will not apologise for something she has not done,” Houweling said. “Our client instructs us to make clear that she categorically rejects any suggestion that her complaint was falsely made and considers any such allegation to be entirely without foundation and highly defamatory.” Houweling said Deeming’s complaint was made only as a matter of last resort after unsuccessful attempts to resolve the incident through the Liberal party’s internal processes. “Throughout the process, her intention was to deal with the matter confidentially, appropriately and in the appropriate way, rather than through the media or public commentary,” Houweling said. Houweling said the incident was exacerbated by Deeming’s prior history of being a victim of rape and sexual abuse, “and having PTSD both from that and from what has occurred over the last more than three years”. “She considers it deeply regrettable that this matter