Andrew Lovett behind bars for Christmas

[saynta]

The 88 charges would amount to what is known in Police and legal circles as a hamburger with the lot.

Usually indecent words, assault police and resist arrest.

[Trev from the Bush]

The 88 charges would amount to what is known in Police and legal circles as a hamburger with the lot.

Hmmm… you may have a point.

There’s every possibility that should the matter progress to a contest summary, a number of charges may be struck out

Beetroot and pineapple might get pulled out to ensure the meat remains intact as proof of the charge. Makes for a lot of work in preparing the brief but covers all possibilities, makes the defence earn their keep and gets a conviction.

[Trev from the Bush]

The 88 charges would amount to what is known in Police and legal circles as a hamburger with the lot.

Hmmm… you may have a point.

There’s every possibility that should the matter progress to a contest summary, a number of charges may be struck out

Beetroot and pineapple might get pulled out to ensure the meat remains intact as proof of the charge. Makes for a lot of work in preparing the brief but covers all possibilities, makes the defence earn their keep and gets a conviction.

[Yorkeys]

Age today refers to "former Essendon player". HS to "former AFL player". Our media people have got the penny to drop on inaccuracy it seems.

HS journo possibly a Bomber fan.

[axcellence]

Plead guilty to 24 charges. Prosecutor withdrew 73 others. Nearly a ton there… what a sad specimen of a “human”.

Between early 2020 and December last year, the court heard, Lovett assaulted the woman in her home on several occasions, including two attacks where he knocked her out, once by punching and kicking the woman when she was in the shower, and the other by choking her and pushing her over.

The former footballer punched the victim and kicked her while she lay in the foetal position, before she lost consciousness.

On June 8 last year, Lovett became angry and aggressive when he couldn’t unlock the woman’s phone and struck her to the face. He then put his hands around the woman’s neck and choked her, and pushed her towards the bath. She hit her head and lost consciousness.

When she came to, the woman went to the kitchen and armed herself with a knife. In the kitchen, the court heard, Lovett lunged for the woman and grabbed her arm and the knife broke the skin on Lovett’s chest.

When the woman left the house and drove away, Lovett chased the car along the street.

“She believed that the accused was trying to kill her,” Mr Sprague told magistrate Jason Ong.

Lovett caused her “nothing but torture and heartache”, she said, and left her with nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety and the need to look “over my shoulder”. She said she considered suicide at the time, and although determined to be positive, recalled sadness and lost self-confidence that left her unable to work.

“The emotional trauma far outlives any physical injury,” she said.

Mr Sprague said Lovett’s other assaults included him smashing the woman’s phone, punching her and throwing beer on her over a four-week period in 2020.

After an argument in January last year he sent her the message: “I hope you, your mum and your nan pass away, you c---.” The woman’s grandmother was ill at the time.

In April last year, he spat in the woman’s face, poured beer over her and kicked her while she was on the floor. He again spat at her when drunk after the Essendon-Collingwood game on Anzac Day.

Across the 22 months, Lovett also provoked arguments, blamed the woman for his anger, threatened to have bikies “run through” her house and regularly went through her phone.

[axcellence]

Plead guilty to 24 charges. Prosecutor withdrew 73 others. Nearly a ton there… what a sad specimen of a “human”.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 5a3ff.html

Between early 2020 and December last year, the court heard, Lovett assaulted the woman in her home on several occasions, including two attacks where he knocked her out, once by punching and kicking the woman when she was in the shower, and the other by choking her and pushing her over.

The former footballer punched the victim and kicked her while she lay in the foetal position, before she lost consciousness.

On June 8 last year, Lovett became angry and aggressive when he couldn’t unlock the woman’s phone and struck her to the face. He then put his hands around the woman’s neck and choked her, and pushed her towards the bath. She hit her head and lost consciousness.

When she came to, the woman went to the kitchen and armed herself with a knife. In the kitchen, the court heard, Lovett lunged for the woman and grabbed her arm and the knife broke the skin on Lovett’s chest.

When the woman left the house and drove away, Lovett chased the car along the street.

“She believed that the accused was trying to kill her,” Mr Sprague told magistrate Jason Ong.

Lovett caused her “nothing but torture and heartache”, she said, and left her with nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety and the need to look “over my shoulder”. She said she considered suicide at the time, and although determined to be positive, recalled sadness and lost self-confidence that left her unable to work.

“The emotional trauma far outlives any physical injury,” she said.

Mr Sprague said Lovett’s other assaults included him smashing the woman’s phone, punching her and throwing beer on her over a four-week period in 2020.

After an argument in January last year he sent her the message: “I hope you, your mum and your nan pass away, you c---.” The woman’s grandmother was ill at the time.

In April last year, he spat in the woman’s face, poured beer over her and kicked her while she was on the floor. He again spat at her when drunk after the Essendon-Collingwood game on Anzac Day.

Across the 22 months, Lovett also provoked arguments, blamed the woman for his anger, threatened to have bikies “run through” her house and regularly went through her phone.

[Ghost Like]

These are the actions of a poster boy for domestic violence. She was lucky not to have been killed because he obviously could not control his actions. He's a coward and his sentence should be an example. I really hope the media chase this and highlight it to put the spotlight on the judge's sentencing.

[saynta]

What a f****** creep. Gaol time for him I hope.

From heraldsun.com.au


2:36PM Friday, March 11th, 2022



DV victim says she’ll be forever haunted by Andrew Lovett

A former cop caught in an abusive relationship with ex-AFL player Andrew Lovett has described him as “a vampire feeding off my energy to survive”.
Melanie Rowe has revealed the shocking violence she suffering during a relationship with former AFL player Andrew Lovett

A former police officer has revealed her “nightmare” relationship with former AFL player Andrew Lovett as he admitted a series of shocking assaults on her.

Speaking for the first time about being a victim of domestic violence, Melanie Rowe bravely told how “the rage in his eyes will haunt me forever”.

The pair had met on Tinder in 2019 and she quickly fell “head over heels” for him, describing “butterflies” in her stomach and “the kind of love that’s in romance novels or movies”.

But Ms Rowe said that quickly turned into toxicity and coercive control.

“I never knew that one swipe would change my life forever,” she said.

“It would take me to my darkest time.

“It didn’t take long for the fairytale to turn into a horror story.

“This wasn’t a movie though. This was real life. I was living a nightmare.

“He was my prince charming who I ended up needing rescuing from.


“He broke me in every single way.”

Ms Rowe, who worked in a unit protecting victims of sexual abuse, said she could not believe she had found herself a victim at the hands of someone she loved.

“It showed me that family violence does not discriminate,” she said.

“I was stuck in the cycle and couldn’t get out.

“I don’t even recognise the person I was with Andrew.

“I felt trapped and alone with no-one to turn to. I was embarrassed.

“I was helping people in these exact situations.”

She bravely read out her victim impact statement in Dandenong Magistrates Court on Thursday after Lovett pleaded guilty to 24 offences, including assault and recklessly causing injury.

The Herald Sun exclusively revealed the shocking details of his 22-month domestic violence campaign against his girlfriend following his arrest in December.

In a series of attacks between February last year and his arrest on December 9, he had choked, punched, kicked, spat on and even poured a beer over his 36-year-old victim.

Other times he threatened to slash her tyres, and claimed he’d have bikies run through her property..

Ms Rowe told the court there were times when she required medical attention, but knew it would raise questions, so she went without.

She would cover up her bruises with makeup and tell friends, family and colleagues her injuries were from falls or other incidents.

But she said she has broken from the cycle and is glad she can now share her story.

“I’m so grateful that I am alive,” she said.

Lovett’s lawyer David Grace told the court that his client was “ashamed” and “humiliated” about what he did.

“He is absolutely remorseful for what he has done to her,” Mr Grace said.

Lovett’s professional footy career came to end in 2010 when the Saints sacked him after he was charged over the rape of a woman at the home of teammate Jason Gram in 2009.

In 2011, the 2005 Anzac Day medallist was acquitted of two counts of rape following a County Court trial.

He had only just been traded to St Kilda at the end of the 2009 season after playing 88 games for Essendon between 2005 and 2009.

The case returns before magistrate Jason Ong on March 17.

VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT FROM MELANIE ROWE

I never knew one swipe would change my life forever. It would take me to my darkest times. I instantly fell head over heels for Andrew, butterflies in the stomach, the kind of love that’s in romance novels or movies.

Looking back, he mirrored everything that I wanted, so I fell in love with potential, but I was nothing more than a source of supply providing him money, food, clothing and shelter.

It didn’t take long for the fairytale to turn into a horror story, this wasn’t a movie though, this was real life, I was living a nightmare.

He was my Prince Charming, who I ended up needing rescuing from. He broke me in every single way when he took off his mask and revealed his true self.

I was sinking down and when I came up, I got so lost in loving him, but he was a figment of my imagination. He promised me the world and delivered me nothing, nothing but torture and heartache. I realised he had nothing to offer me but broken dreams, whilst it was everything I had, he wanted.

I lost the strong independent woman that I was and became submissive to his controlling ways. A reflection of a shell staring back at me, I no longer knew who I was.

He took everything away from me and destroyed my life and my soul. He was like a vampire feeding off all my energy for him to survive, whilst I was barely surviving.

Those butterflies soon turned into knots in my stomach filled with anxiety.

Upon reflection I do not even recognise the person I was when I was with Andrew.

The time of my life haunts me, living in constant fear and heightened state, scared if I did or said the wrong thing and what may come of it.

I felt trapped and alone, with no one to turn to. I was embarrassed, how could this be happening to me with the position I was in, I was helping people in these exact situations. With such judgment and stigma attached, I didn’t know where to go so I continued to hide the bruises, my pain and suffering.

It showed me that family violence does not discriminate but I was stuck in the cycle and I could not get out. Every time I tried, he would pull be back down, I had no strength left and felt completely isolated from those I loved.

I stopped living during his period of time, it is the saddest time of my life, I cried so many tears and had many sleepless nights. I couldn’t find a way to escape the terror, there was no way out. I hit rock bottom it was a far cry from the peaceful life I was living before it got turned upside down.

I was continually belittled made to feel worthless, and felt that I couldn’t do anything right. I lost all my self confidence as he tore me down daily. Whilst they are only words, they hurt more than the physical bruises and marks that go away. These are etched into my memory.

The emotional trauma far outlives any physical injury. Throughout the relationship, I always felt alone, but none more than when I was healing from my injuries. As much as I could I avoided social interactions but when it became more of a regular occurrence I ran out of excuses. I was tired of hiding and living a lie.

As the days went on, I felt more and more depleted. I was living in hell, but why would I stop there. I had to keep going. I gradually found my voice, but the more I spoke up the more I suffered in silence. I learned to never ask him for anything because the tantrum or drama that resonated from it was not worth it. The more I did the more he expected from me, it was relentless and I became burnt out. I gave him everything and also gave into everything. It led to a state of confusion and begging for his forgiveness when I wasn’t the one to blame. The toxicity and coercive control led me down a path of self-sabotage in an attempt to mask the pain and suffering that I endured.

I no longer felt safe in my own home, at times I had to flee, resorting to sleeping my car, parks, driveways and staying at friends and family homes. I now feel like a prisoner in my own home as everywhere I look brings traumatic memories, but in time these will fade and be replaced by happier days.

Even when it was over, it was never truly over, he was always trying to claw his way back into my life. Trying to move forward became an impossible task as his unpredictable behaviour contributed to sleepless nights. The rage in his eyes will haunt me forever.

I wasn’t sure if I had any more strength to keep fighting it felt like an endless uphill battle. I wouldn’t wish this upon another soul. It was unbearable, it has truly impacted my life in every single way.

Whilst I am aware this is a Victim Impact Statement, being a victim does not sit well with me. I was determined not to play the victim card. I focused intently on my healing journey.

Now I am just exhausted, relieved at the same time. It’s hard to even find the words or truly explain how I am feeling or the impact this has had on me. I am so grateful that I am alive this cycle of family violence had to end because either way I was going to end up dead, whether from his hands or my own. No one should ever have to live in their own home the way I did, with terror and keeping the peace because it was easier at times. Even though he didn’t make it easy for me to come forward, I was left with no option, this was a matter of life or death. My life is never going to be the same. It is a continual battle that I have to fight. I am fearful of what is to come when he gets his freedom.

I can no longer focus on the hurt as I will continue to suffer, I have to focus on the lesson. The abuse didn’t make me strong, I overcame it because I was already strong. There is a future version of me who is proud I was strong enough to tell my story which has enabled me to take back my power."

[happy feet]

This is the bloke Hird and Sheedy provided a reference for. A trio of scumbags.

[saintly]

Age today refers to "former Essendon player". HS to "former AFL player". Our media people have got the penny to drop on inaccuracy it seems.

HS journo possibly a Bomber fan.

at least he is not referred to as former St Kilda recruit.

[saynta]

The prick will spend the next 8 months behind bars. Good start, but not nearly long enough.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimea ... e0f2e547ff

[Ghost Like]

The prick will spend the next 8 months behind bars. Good start, but not nearly long enough.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimea ... e0f2e547ff

Totally agree saynta. With some of the incredibly horrific domestic violence murders of recent I find it hard that this sentence was the best the judge could hand down.

Life will not end well for Lovett or sadly, his next partner I fear.