Matthew Robert Godel appeared before Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris for sentencing this week.
Outlining the the case, police legal adviser Susie Sharp, prosecuting, said the assault happened on 29 July at the victim’s house.
Godel tried to kick in the door to her home and later pushed the woman, the Magistrate’s Court heard.
Ms Sharp explained that the harassment charge was the result of messages Godel had sent the woman between March 2018 and mid-July of this year.
The court heard that the harassment continued even after a harassment notice was issued to Godel in May.
Advocate Christopher Austin, defending, said the defendant was now embarrassed by the content of the messages he bombarded the woman with.
‘He accepts that his behaviour was unacceptable and he has now turned a corner,’ he said. On issuing the court’s sentence, Mr Harris said that the harassment was far worse than the assault, calling it ‘extensive, abusive, oppressive and very distasteful’. In its level, duration and scale it crossed the threshold to be considered for a custodial sentence, he added.
‘There is absolutely no excuse for this behaviour,’ Mr Harris said, but he noted it had stopped. A social-inquiry report prepared before sentencing said Godel had had a ‘wake-up call’ about his behaviour and was a suitable candidate for community service.
‘You really dug yourself a big hole and jumped in it and kept digging,’ Mr Harris said.
The Assistant Magistrate ordered Godel to complete 90 hours of community service for the harassment charge, the equivalent of three months in prison.
Godel was also sentenced to 12 months’ probation and a restraining order was issued detailing that he must stay away from the women for five years.
Mr Harris warned that in event of a breach, Godel would be jailed.
