<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A prominent mayor has made some wild admissions in an interview about allegations he assaulted a protester who gatecrashed a local election afterparty in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span>. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yarra City Council Mayor Stephen Jolly was charged in October for allegedly hitting a woman at a venue in Fitzroy in 2024. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Stephen, no!" someone could be heard yelling in a video showing the women's rights protest group storming the event. </span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/first-home-buyers-australia-rush-protect-borrowing-capacity-before-predicted-interest-rate-hikes/a938f241-58b0-43b4-bdd9-00e1b6832fc9" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Max scrambled to buy a home before today's RBA decision derailed his plans</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jolly, who is applying to have the charges thrown out, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link yesterday for a mention. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As soon as the hearing finished, he invited 9News to speak with him and claimed he had never hit anyone.  </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/yarra-city-council-mayor-stephen-jolly-makes-wild-admissions-melbourne-victoria/41e02e5f-4eff-48b7-96da-d9ff805db588" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've never been on trial before, got zero criminal record, I'm a bit of a baby in the woods with this kind of stuff," he said.  </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jolly said he wanted the video made public as it does not prove that he assaulted anyone. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Freddie, who was one of the women's rights protesters, said they hoped justice would be served. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As women's rights campaigners, we are particularly keen to see an end to violence against women, particularly from those in power," she said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think there's a lot of evidence showing an assault did occur." </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jolly has been accused of other inappropriate behaviour, like crude and inappropriate texts - none of which he has been charged with. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addressing those claims, he admitted he has said and done some questionable things.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-weather-news-tropical-low-could-develop-into-cyclone-off-the-far-north-coast-by-the-end-of-the-week/22d36efb-98ef-470e-99de-fe9a23cda346" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>New threat brewing for already-saturated far north Queensland</span></strong></a><span> </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Any 60-year-old who lives in Fitzroy, who says they've never taken a line of cocaine, or smoked a joint, I'm telling you, they're lying to your face," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've done things if you put them in the cold light of day, like said things, like sexually, or drug-wise, and it's probably like, Jesus, why did I say that? But nothing illegal. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The only thing I've ever been charged with is this thing, which I'm hoping to knock out of the park. Let's see." </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jolly's lawyer has submitted six witness statements from people who say he did not assault the woman at any time during the night. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The defence has asked for the charges to be withdrawn. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The case will return to court next week. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the meantime, Jolly has vowed to remain mayor and serve the community he has represented for years. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm not going to be sidetracked from doing my main job, representing the City of Yarra as Mayor of Yarra," he said.  </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've got the support of the community, I've got the support of the vast majority of people who were there that night, I've got the support of my colleagues, I'm not going anywhere." </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jolly was first elected to the council in 2004 and then mayor in 2024 and 2025.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>