Inside Wayne Cooper's descent as he faces a fresh wave of domestic violence charges - and he fronts court over alleged drug possession

By STEPHEN GIBBS, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 13:09, 29 May 2026 | Updated: 13:09, 29 May 2026 Fashion designer Wayne Cooper's once glamorous life is now in freefall as he faces yet another set of domestic violence charges and multiple counts of drug possession. Cooper was back before Byron Bay Local Court on Friday charged with common assault, stalk or intimidate, destroy or damage property, and contravening a restraining order. The 62-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the last two charges, as well as possessing a prohibited drug, and all matters were adjourned for hearing in February next year. Daily Mail can reveal Cooper was also before the same court on Monday, charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug. Another hearing was set down for December. As part of his bail conditions on the domestic violence charges Cooper is not to go near or try to contact his second wife, Elizabeth Adams, or any prosecution witness. He must not drink alcohol or take any drugs unless prescribed by a doctor, and has to present himself at his front door if required for random testing.  Cooper has been a regular visitor to Byron Bay Local Court over the past two years and admitted last August to having assaulted Ms Adams in December 2024. He initially denied charges of common assault and contravening a domestic violence order, but eight days before the case was to be heard, changed his pleas to guilty. Fashion designer Wayne Cooper's once glamorous life is now in freefall as he faces yet another set of domestic violence charges and multiple counts of drug possession. He is pictured at a 2008 court appearance Cooper has been a regular visitor to Byron Bay Local Court over the past two years and admitted last August to having assaulted his wife Elizabeth Adams in December 2024. Ms Adams is pictured on the couple's wedding day On that occasion Cooper was fined $1,000 for the assault, convicted of breaching the AVO and placed on a 12-month community correction order. At the same time, he was made the subject of a two-year AVO to protect Ms Adams, who is aged in her late 40s. Cooper, who first found fame in the 1990s with his BRAVE label, assaulted his first wife, Sarah Marsh, just days after she had undergone cancer surgery. He married Ms Adams in December 2023, having met the mother-of-two nine months earlier. Claims of domestic disharmony between the newlyweds first surfaced in public when police sought an AVO to protect Cooper from Ms Adams in August 2024. The AVO was confirmed later that month, preventing Ms Adams from assaulting, intimidating, threatening, harassing or stalking her husband. Weeks later, Ms Adams told the Daily Mail the shadow of Ms Marsh loomed over their marriage, triggering a meltdown which landed her in court. 'There's three of us in this marriage, so it's getting a bit crowded,' the former UBS banker said. 'But, despite the uncertainties, my commitment to Wayne is unwavering. Our love for one another is infectious and we're more committed than ever.' Ms Adams has said the shadow of Cooper's ex-wife Sarah Marsh loomed over their marriage, triggering a meltdown which landed her in court. Wayne Cooper is pictured with Ms Marsh Claims of domestic disharmony between Cooper and his second wife Elizabeth Adams first surfaced when police sought an AVO to protect him from her in August 2024. The couple is pictured on their wedding day At the same time, Cooper told the Daily Mail: 'Everything is fine. It's a storm in a teacup. We're together and we're happy and that's it.' Ms Marsh responded by saying she was not in contact with Cooper and had nothing to do with Ms Adams. 'I've never even met her,' the one-time model said. 'Except for seeing her in court once. As for him, I haven't spoken to Wayne in over two years.' Days after those comments, in mid-September 2024, Byron Bay police applied for an AVO to protect Ms Adams from Cooper. The following month, that matter was dismissed. Two months later, Ms Adams went to police claiming Cooper had assaulted her during an argument which involved a wine bottle at an apartment complex on Campbell Parade at Bondi Beach. That resulted in Cooper being charged with common assault the following day, when he was also served with another interim AVO. He pleaded not guilty to the Bondi assault charge and it was withdrawn along with the AVO application before it was to be heard in May last year.  Cooper proposed to Ms Adams by hiding an engagement ring in a bowl of caviar during a romantic dinner at Bondi Icebergs. Cooper, who first found fame in the 1990s with his BRAVE label, married Ms Adams nine months after he met the mother-of-two. He is pictured in 2024 The couple had been dating for just eight months following the breakdown of Cooper's rocky 25-year relationship with Ms Marsh. Cooper was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond in December 2008 after pleading guilty to assaulting Ms Marsh following her cancer surgery. The assault occurred when Ms Marsh tried to demonstrate to Cooper how she alleged he had pushed her while on holiday at Port Douglas in far north Queensland. Charges of assault causing bodily harm and stalking and intimidation arising from the same events were withdrawn at Waverley Local Court. Cooper and Ms Marsh sold their home at Tamarama in Sydney's eastern suburbs for $11million in February 2022, having bought the five-bedroom, five-bathroom house for $5.5 million in 2011. The next month they paid $5.09 million for a five-bedroom, six-bathroom estate with a resort-style swimming pool and tennis court at Myocum in NSW's Northern Rivers region. Cooper was arrested at the Myocum house in May 2022 and charged with two counts of domestic violence-related common assault upon Ms Marsh. Those charges came barely 12 months after Cooper had furiously denied he and Ms Marsh had ended their marriage. Cooper, who first found fame in the 1990s with his BRAVE label, assaulted his first wife, Sarah Marsh, just days after she had undergone cancer surgery. Ms Marsh is pictured in 2024 Cooper, who has two children with Ms Marsh, told the Daily Mail at the time that a story the pair had split was 'completely fabricated'. The assault charges, stemming from alleged incidents at Tamarama in December 2015 and May 2016, were dismissed by a magistrate in August 2023. An application for an AVO to protect Ms Marsh from Cooper was also dismissed. British-born Cooper grew up in London's East End and moved to Australia in 1985, studying fashion design at East Sydney Technical College. He started the labels BRAVE, WAYNE COOPER and WAYNE. His clothes were once sold at two boutiques in Melbourne and are now available at Myer department stores. Cooper's Australian Fashion Week shows have featured Linda Evangelista, Eva Herzigova and Sarah O'Hare (now Murdoch) on the catwalk, and he was a regular guest on the reality TV series Australia's Next Top Model. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.