Former Carlton president Luke Sayers has stepped out with new partner Alexandra Elms after his ‘d**k pic’ defamation battle with his estranged wife reportedly took another turn.
Last month the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that Elms is the new woman in Sayers’ life as the couple were pictured strolling hand-in-hand through a park near Sayers’ multimillion-dollar East Melbourne apartment, joined by his daughter Claudia.
The former footy powerbroker and his marketing manager partner have now been snapped at a cafe in inner-city Fitzroy on the weekend, both dressed casually as they picked up a tray of takeaway coffees.
They returned to Sayers’ lavish flat after the outing, which came as his legal stoush with wife Cate continues to make waves across the footy world.
Cate Sayers launched a defamation lawsuit against her husband in January, relating to the widely publicised ‘d**k pic’ scandal that unfolded early last year.
She has alleged that he falsely implied she was behind the publication of the explicit photo, according to court documents.
Former Carlton president Luke Sayers and his new partner Alexandra Elms are pictured stepping out in Melbourne on the weekend
The couple looked casual and comfortable as they visited a cafe in inner-city Fitzroy
Sayers’ romance with marketing manager Elms was first revealed by the Daily Mail in exclusive pictures last month
Luke Sayers accused hackers of infiltrating his social media accounts and sending the graphic sexual image to a female executive at one of the club’s key sponsors.
He quit as president of the club on January 22 last year, with the announcement coming just minutes after the AFL cleared him of any wrongdoing.
In court documents, Cate Sayers claims that she was defamed after Mr Sayers provided a statutory declaration to the AFL Commission’s integrity unit, in which she accuses him of alleging that she was responsible for posting the lewd photo on his X account.
Now the law firm representing Mr Sayers, Arnold Bloch Leibler, wants the matter moved from the Victorian Supreme Court to the Family Court, according to News Corp, who reported that the move was revealed by information in the Victorian Supreme Court registry.
Doing so would drastically reduce the ability of the media to publish information on the case, as there are severe restrictions on the reporting of Family Court proceedings.
Cate Sayers’ legal team will subpoena correspondence by AFL powerbrokers, according to News Corp.
The footy figures who could be hit by the move include the league’s executive general manager of corporate affairs, Sharon McCrohan, and the head of the league’s integrity unit, Tony Keane.
Mrs Sayers’ lawyers have filed court documents alleging that the AFL colluded with Carlton and Luke Sayers in order to clear him of involvement in the scandal surrounding the explicit photograph, in what would amount to a cover-up if proven to be true, the report said.
The couple headed back to Sayers’ luxurious East Melbourne apartment after their outing
Sayers is currently embroiled in a legal battle after his estranged wife Cate launched a defamation lawsuit against him in January
Elms previously dated V8 Supercars driver James Courtney in 2019, following his very public break-up with ex-wife Carys
Elms and Sayers are close enough for his daughter Bronte to follow his new flame on Instagram
McCrohan had been brought on board by Mr Sayers as a spin doctor during the fallout immediately after the photo was posted last year.
Correspondence from AFL general counsel Stephen Meade and former corporate affairs executive general manager Brian Walsh is also central to Mrs Sayers’ case, the publication reported.
Mrs Sayers’ lawyers made a filing to the court last week in which they said documents will be sought from ‘relevant parties’ under subpoena and the process of discovery.
The Daily Mail has contacted the AFL for comment.
Cate Sayers, who is the founder and director of a not-for-profit organisation that provides fitness programmes for people with Down syndrome, is now seeking damages.
She claims she suffered ‘significant distress, hurt and embarrassment, entitling her to an award of equitable compensation.’
In January, a representative of Mr Sayers told the media that the former Carlton boss ‘rejects the claims being made against him’.
Sayers declined to speak about his new relationship when approached by the Daily Mail last month.
Sayers’ legal representatives want the defamation case switched to the Family Court, it has been reported
Cate Sayers (pictured with her estranged husband) has alleged that he falsely implied she was behind the publication of the explicit photo of his genitalia in January last year
Details of the romance are unclear, but the couple are close enough for Sayers’ daughter Bronte to follow Elms on Instagram.
Elms previously dated V8 Supercars driver James Courtney in 2019, following his very public break-up with ex-wife Carys a year earlier.
The Courtneys’ split was tabloid fodder at the time as Carys had swiftly moved on with Stu Laundy of the famous Laundy Hotels family.
It’s unclear when Elms and Courtney called it quits, but Courtney was dating model and makeup artist Tegan Woodford by April 2021.
As for Sayers’ romantic history, a source told the Mail he had been in a relationship with another woman, also a Melbourne professional, which began after his split from Cate but ended last year.
