UPDATED: Violent drug abuser sent revenge porn of partner to her brother granted bail

UPDATE, 2 pm: A former meth addict who texted revenge porn has been granted bail to live at the home of a friend who has previously been convicted of drug trafficking.

On Tuesday (20 December), Chief Justice Lucy McCallum said as the man had pleaded guilty and been given a sentencing date, this removed a potential risk to his partner if he was released on bail, that he might have tried to make her withdraw her complaints.

She also said he could be assessed for residential drug rehabilitation if granted bail.

TUESDAY: A violent drug user has admitted assaulting his partner, texting revenge porn to her brother, and threatening to send such material to the two siblings’ father.

The brother called police in March 2022 to tell them the man had smashed up their Canberra home, court documents say.

Officers arrived to find the place wrecked and saw blood down the face and arm of the man’s partner. They also saw a photo the man had texted to the brother, showing the partner performing a sex act.

The partner said the man had accused her of cheating on him before he grabbed her by the shoulders and struck her in the face, making her nose bleed, then damaged property at the house and left.

She also told police the man had threatened to send her father a photo of her performing a sex act.

The man, who legally can’t be named as it could reveal the identity of his partner, was arrested and spent nine months in custody before applying for bail in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday (16 December).

It was revealed he pleaded guilty to 14 charges, including non-consensual distribution of intimate images, threatening to capture or distribute intimate images, assault and damaging property.

He took the stand to plead his case to be released, saying the cause of his offending was “drug use”.

“I haven’t been on drugs once in nine months,” he said.

“The jail is flooded [with drugs], but I’m still staying away from them.”

He also said when he relapsed before this recent offending he had “lost everything”.

“I’m a good Dad; it’s just when I took the drugs,” he said.

“I’ve been in jail for a year. I’ve had enough of it.”

The court heard his criminal history had offences in 2013 and 2014, but there was a gap between them and the current offences.

Chief Justice Lucy McCallum did note, “he’s gone back to rock bottom”.

She said her main concern with his potential release on bail, which was opposed by the prosecution, was where he would live if it were granted.

She wanted to hear from a person who the man claimed he could live with, so adjourned the bail application to next week.