Jacob Hadley in Bathurst Court for assault, harassing woman

Jacob Hadley, 21, of Wallace Street, Swansea, was placed on a community correction order (CCO) after he pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on May 8, 2023 to common assault, intimidation and damaging property.

Hadley and the victim were at Plus Fitness Gym in Kelso around 3pm on April 29, 2022 when they got into an argument about each other's social media accounts, court papers said.

The victim left the gym and walked home, and when she got there, she saw Hadley.

The court heard the victim began to film him as he leaned on her bedroom windowsill before he noticed she was recording and slapped the phone out of her hand.

Hadley then went inside the Kelso home to get his belongings when they continued their fight.

Court documents state Hadley struck the victim's door frame, which caused it to come away from the door's jamb.

On a separate occasion, Hadley sent the victim 51 harassing text messages on Instagram and Facebook, respectively, from 1.23pm on May 16 in the span of half an hour, with the first reading "YOU (expletive) GOTNA LIFT TONTHE GYM WITH [name] THE OTHER DAY CUTN?!".

Hadley then went on to text the victim that she was "(expletive) now" and had "(expletive) done it".

The victim went to Bathurst Police Station about 1.40pm two days later to report the incident, but declined to make a formal statement.

Police then went to a home on Wallace Street in Swansea and served an Apprehended Violence Order on Hadley, and asked about the incident.

He told police they were both at the gym on the day and the victim left because she "got jealous", so he went to her home to see her.

He then explained the victim, allegedly, closed the door on his hand and, out of pain and frustration, "busted" it open.

He also admitted to sending the victim messages and said it was how they often spoke, with no malice intended.

Solicitor Shane Cunningham gave context to the fight beyond court documents and explained his client, who was supported by his family in court, had messaged a friend whose birthday it was, which "upset" the victim.

"He left [the gym] to go home when he got a call from the complainant [victim] to pick up his things ... so he went to her house and saw she was videoing him without consent and knocked the phone out of her hand," Mr Cunningham said.

"As he was leaving, she [allegedly] slammed the door while his hand was there. His reaction was to strike at the door.

"He accepts this and the messages were unacceptable behaviour."

Visiting Magistrate D Pearce said while emotions are heightened in these situations, it does not excuse the "unacceptable" behaviour.

Hadley was convicted and placed on a CCO for 12 months.

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