A retired AFL player who brutally assaulted a woman over two years, including bashing, choking and spitting on her, has been sentenced to eight months behind bars.
Former Essendon player Andrew Lovett appeared via video link in the Dandenong Magistrates Court from Fulham prison on Thursday.
Magistrate Jason Ong said the victim felt “constant fear” and described the ordeal as “the saddest time of her life”.
“You should have walked away,” he said.
“No woman should fear or suffer physical harm.
“This was terrifying, ongoing, aggressive, physical violence. You were controlling and manipulating.”
The 39-year-old had earlier pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including multiple assaults, recklessly causing injury and breaching court orders between February 2020 and December last year.
The 2005 Anzac Day medallist subjected a woman to a two-year nightmare and became “more and more volatile” duxjmtzywring the course of their relationship.
In January 2021 he sent the woman a text after an argument that read: “I hope you, your mum and your nan pass away, you c**t.”
Lovett also attacked the woman after watching Essendon play Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium in March 2021.
The court was told that he abused the woman because of a message he found on her phone. The former footballer threw her phone at the wall and repeatedly punched the woman in the head.
He then kicked her repeatedly as she lay on the shower floor.
A month later a heavily intoxicated Lovett returned to the woman’s home from an AFL function and spat at the woman and poured a beer over her as she lay in bed, the court was told.
On other occasions he choked and punched her and slammed her head into a steering wheel while she drove him around.
Defence lawyer David Grace said the former AFL player unreservedly apologised for his behaviour.
“He’s upset and very sorry for what he had done,” he told the court.
In messages he sent to the woman after she left him, Lovett said no one deserved what he had done to her.
“I am deeply, deeply, deeply sorry for what I have put you through,” he said.
Lovett has already served 100 days pre-sentence detention.
He will be put on a 12-month community corrections order once he’s released.
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