Man charged with 4 Domestic Violence related offences has charges dismissed

Our client was a 19-year-old man with a juvenile criminal history. Our client was charged with four domestic violence related offences, including two counts of Common Assault, one count of destroy/damage property and one count of stalk/intimidate following an altercation with his girlfriend and step-brother. Our client had been subjected to a very traumatic childhood, being the victim of systemic bullying throughout primary and high school, he was sexually assaulted at the age of 7 by his cousin which continued for a period of 3 years, and he had endured abuse at the hands of his mother’s romantic partners.

After being arrested, our client agreed to participate in an electronically recorded interview with Police, where he made admissions. We sought the assistance of a psychologist to prepare a psychological report in support of what is known as a Section 14 application to have the matter dealt with under the Mental Health Act rather than in the criminal justice system. We successfully convinced the Court to support our client in accessing the mental health treatment he needed rather than sentencing him to further punishment. Our client will now have access to the mental health support he so desperately needs.