Brett Finch's ex Elli Johnston steps out with her new baby for the first time - after her marriage to the disgraced NRL star broke down over his conviction on child sex offences

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Elli Johnston has been pictured leaving hospital after having her first baby with her boxer boyfriend Liam Hillen just over two years since she split with troubled ex-husband Brett Finch.
Johnston and Hillen were beaming as they walked out with their newborn son Hunter this week, with the former fighter carrying a basket full of presents and supplies for their bundle of joy while she cradled their bub in her arms.
Their first outing with the new arrival came shortly after they revealed the joyful news on social media on Wednesday.
In one selfie a glowing Elli can be seen cradling her newborn boy on her chest while resting in hospital while her beaming Liam poses beside them.
'Hunter Hillen, 9.6.25. Our son is perfect,' they shared in the post.
They also included a gorgeous black and white photo of their little one wrapped in a blanket and tucked in with stuffed toy giraffe.
A third colour photo shows Hunter, who already has a thick growth of dark hair, sleeping peacefully and swaddled in blankets.
It comes after the pair shared they were expecting to Instagram back in February, alongside a gallery of images taken at Snapper Rocks in Queensland.
Elli already shares one older child, daughter Mackenzie, with Finch, after the former couple married in Melbourne in January 2018.
The mum recently celebrated her five-year-old daughter starting primary school.
'And just like that she's in school, time moves so so fast,' Elli wrote alongside a sweet video of Mackenzie's first walk to school.
'I am so proud of you Macky. I can't wait to watch to thrive.'
Johnston, the daughter of Australian Football Hall of Famer and Carlton AFL great Wayne Johnston, met Finch in 2013.
They split five years in 2023, months after Finch was convicted of sharing child abuse material online.
Ellie stood by him throughout his trial before the pair parted ways soon after.
The 42-year-old was sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment in November 2022 after pleading guilty to one count of using a carriage service to transmit or publish child abuse material; however, the judge ordered that he was required to serve his term in the community.
Last January, Finch pleaded guilty to a new charge of failing to comply with his reporting obligations while serving his sentence.
Over three months, Finch sent seven voice messages to other men using the gay sex chat service FastMeet, expressing his desire to engage in sexual acts with young boys.
During his evidence, the former NRL star said the messages were part of a desperate effort to feed his addiction to the drug cocaine.
While District Court Judge Phillip Mahony found it to be an "absurd" scheme, he determined the messages were borne out of Finch's addiction and not a desire to abuse children.
The former halfback retired from rugby league in 2013 after two grand final losses while playing for the Sydney Roosters in 2003 and 2004 and one win in 2009 while playing for the Melbourne Storm.