"Below Deck" star Aesha Scott is speaking out in defense of fellow yachtie Gael Cameron after their castmate Nathan Gallagher's conviction on charges of assault and choking.
Scott posted an Instagram story defending Cameron, Gallagher's ex-girlfriend and mother to their infant son, after she was featured on the Sept. 21 episode of "Below Deck Mediterranean."
"Can people please give Gael some GRACE!?" the chief stew wrote. "That poor woman has been through hell and back the last two years, a hell most of you attacking her from your high horse at home have no real idea about."
Earlier this month, Gallagher, 27, was convicted on charges of assault and choking stemming from his December 2025 arrest in an alleged domestic violence incident in Australia.
He is now facing a warrant for his arrest after failing to appear for his court hearing, a representative for New South Wales Courts previously confirmed to USA TODAY.
While the alleged victim of the incident was not identified, court records show Cameron filed an order seeking protection from Gallagher.
Gallagher and Cameron began dating after meeting during "Below Deck Mediterranean" Season 9, which aired in 2024. The former couple shares a 1-year-old son, Kayden.
Aesha Scott says Gael Cameron was 'fed so many lies'
While Scott did not explicitly name Gallagher or mention his legal issues in her post, it referenced Cameron's appearance on the Sept. 21 "Below Deck Mediterranean" episode.
"During this time she was being fed so many lies day after day, she didn't really understand what was going on in so many different areas," Scott said.
In the episode, filmed in 2025, Cameron was still in a relationship with Gallagher, who was a bosun on the superyacht Akira One alongside Scott, the boat's chief steward. While Akira One was chartering out of Croatia, Cameron and baby Kayden stayed at a rental home near the port to see Gallagher between trips.
The season has captured Gallagher and Cameron's struggles as new parents, while also highlighting lingering tension between the couple and another cast member, deckhand Joe Bradley.
On Akira One, Gallagher and Bradley's friendship was strained in part because of Gallagher and Cameron's relationship. The Sept. 21 episode ended on a cliffhanger after the couple confronts Bradley about their conflict during a night out.
Scott defended Cameron's appearance on the show in her Instagram story.
"I know she went to Croatia and agreed to go onto a public forum where people watch and have opinions, but again, you all have no clue what steps led to that and followed that," she wrote.
"Please be kind," Scott added. Bradley also reposted the Instagram story.
'Below Deck' star Gael Cameron thanked fans for support after Nathan Gallagher arrest news
Cameron referenced the situation in a statement on her Instagram story on Sept. 5.
"Hey guys, I just want to say thank you so much for the support you've shown for Kayden and I," she wrote in a since-expired post. "It's been a tough season but I have been using the past few months to quietly heal and rebuild for little man and myself."
While the alleged victim of the domestic incident involving Gallagher was not identified, court records show he is also named in an Apprehended Violence Application filed on behalf of Cameron.
An Apprehended Violence Application seeks a court order to protect an individual from someone they fear may harm them, according to the New South Wales Local Court.
In an Aug. 26 statement to Rolling Stone, Gallagher said, "I don't believe the public has heard the full story surrounding what happened," calling it "an extremely complicated situation."
Contributing: Liza Esquibias, USA TODAY
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Below Deck' star Aesha Scott speaks out after Nathan Gallagher conviction
