Steven James Naoum: Dad accused of throttling young Mindarie Football Club player identified as UWA lecturer

A celebrated orthodontist and university lecturer accused of strangling an 11-year-old boy at a community soccer game will stand trial. Steven James Naoum, 46, appeared in Joondalup Magistrates Court for the second time on Friday charged with one count of impeding another person’s normal breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to the neck. Through his lawyer Dr Marc Saupin, the accused entered a not guilty plea over the allegations he throttled the boy at Abbeville Park in Mindarie on May 25. Mr Naoum’s son was playing for Whitford City Football Club, when he allegedly grabbed the neck of the young boy from the opposing team, Mindarie Football Club, during an under 12s match. The court was previously told the allegations were aggravated because it was allegedly committed when 20 children were present. A trial date is due to be decided following a hearing in the Perth Magistrates Court on October 7, with Mr Naoum not required to attend. The trial itself is expected to last three days. On Friday, his bail was varied to remove one person as a protected person following negations with police. Mr Naoum, from Watermans Bay, was walked towards a car by multiple people after his appearance on Friday. Both Mr Naoum and his lawyer declined to speak with media outside court. Mr Naoum is an accomplished orthodontist who, according to a now removed profile on the Morley Orthdontic Centre website, lectured at the University of Western Australia. “In addition to practicing as an Orthodontist at Morley Orthodontic Centre and Esperance Orthodontic Centre, Dr Naoum is a Senior Lecturer within the Discipline of Orthodontics at the University of Western Australia,” the profile which was online in 2024 said. “Outside of Orthodontics, Dr Naoum enjoys spending unhurried time with his wife and children, is a passionate follower of Perth Glory, and enjoys being an active member of his church.” After graduating from UWA following the completion of his doctorate in clinical dentistry in orthodontics back in 2016, Mr Naoum was awarded the Elsdon Storey research prize for excellence in orthodontic research. “Dr Naoum is a Registered Orthodontic Specialist with the Dental Board of Australia and has attained certification with the Australasian Orthodontic Board,” the profile said.