Accused stalker and footballer sent invasive images of his former partner in Snapchat group, court hears

A one-time SA football representative facing stalking allegations is accused of sending woman’s images to a Snapchat group, a court has heard.

A dumped Cheltenham man could not let a relationship go and proceeded to call his ex-girlfriend 100 times a day before sharing invasive images of her in a Snapchat group, a court has heard.

Malachai Donald Michael Ah Matt-Lovett, 22, appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court from custody on charges of aggravated stalking, being unlawfully on a premises and distributing invasive images.

A police prosecutor opposed a home detention bail application by his lawyer James Caldicott.

Mr Ah Matt-Lovett is a former reserves-level SANFL footballer with Central Districts and represented South Australia as an under-18s player in 2018.

His late grandfather is Australian basketball Hall of Famer Michael Ah Matt, who represented Australia at an Olympics.

The court heard Mr Ah Matt-Lovett used Snapchat to contact his ex-partner, telling her he would “die for her” and that she was “like a goddess, something out of this universe, like you’re made in a lab”.

Malachai Donald Michael Ah Matt-Lovett has faced court accused of stalking his ex-partner and distributing invasive images of her in a Snapchat group. Picture: Facebook

Mr Caldicott said the message could be “characterised” as a “pining-type message for a significant relationship that has now been dissolved”.

A police prosecutor said Mr Ah Matt-Lovett had his number and social media accounts blocked by his former girlfriend, but that he would “find ways to message her through social media”.

The prosecutor also told the court Mr Ah Matt-Lovett “turned up” at places his ex-girlfriend was at including at the Watermark Hotel at Glenelg.

“(She) was at the Watermark Hotel with friends, (he) was outside and she and her friends requested he leave,” the prosecutor said.

“He refused, entered the venue and sat at their table.”

On another occasion, the woman returned to her car after a trip to a beach to find Mr Ah Matt-Lovett standing next to it, the prosecutor told the court.

A court heard Malachai Ah Matt-Lovett allegedly used Snapchat to send invasive images of his ex-girlfriend to a chat group. Picture: Istock

Instead of leaving, they said, he reached in through the car’s window while the woman was in the car, unlocked it and sat on the seat and stayed there for about 20 minutes.

The court heard the break-up happened January after a “very good” four-year relationship and it has been “hard on Mr Ah Matt-Lovett”.

Mr Caldicott told the court the stalking charges were wholly contested and there had been no police intervention.

“The stalking matters allegations relate to Mr Ah Matt-Lovett’s attendanc to speak in person on a number of occasions where he happens to be in the local vicinity, the Watermark Hotel,” he said.

“He sees a group of friends and wanted to have a chat (and) at no stage during these courses of interactions had police actually spoken to (him) or reports made for him to be made aware what he was doing suggested was any criminal behaviour.”

Mr Ah Matt-Lovett’s mother sat at the rear of the court as the allegations were revealed.

Ms Pandya granted Mr Ah Matt-Lovett home detention bail with his mother acting as guarantor.

He is due to reappear in court in May.