Ashley Campbell jailed over aggravated burglary, assault

A judge has lashed out at a violent burglar calling him a coward. Read to find out why.

Ashley Campbell. Picture: Facebook

An exasperated County Court judge has lambasted a “violent and cowardly man” whose “appalling and unrelenting” behaviour left a woman terrified.

Ashley Campbell, 36, was jailed in the County Court at Geelong for five years and 10 months on Tuesday, with a non-parole period of four years, after earlier pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and common law assault.

Judge Gerard Mullaly told the court Campbell had several chances to change course before the attack in January 2023.

Campbell bombarded the woman with messages and calls in the days leading up to the attack.

He turned up at her house and tried to call her and the woman made clear she did not want to speak to him.

“That should have been the end of it. A respectful and decent man would have stopped and gone away,” Judge Mullaly told Campbell.

Campbell didn’t, instead hurling verbal abuse at the woman, who was so fearful she called an ex-partner and the police.

Campbell rode his motorcycle up to her door, the “revving and squealing tires” audible to emergency dispatcher.

“Again, this was your opportunity to do the right thing and leave your obviously frightened victim alone,” Judge Mullaly said.

When the police arrived, Campbell continued bombarding the woman with calls. Over the phone, the police told Campbell to stop contacting the victim.

Within five minutes of police leaving, Campbell was back, kicking the woman’s door down, elbowing her in the mouth and dragging her outside by the hair.

When interviewed, the court heard Campbell gave false answers and denied and diminished what he had done.

In his sentencing remarks Judge Mullaly said the courts will not tolerate the violence of entitled, selfish men amid the “scourge” of family violence.

Campbell, the court heard, was a recidivist, violent offender towards women.

The 36-year-old was born and raised in Geelong, Judge Mullaly said, and had a history of drug use and violence.

The court heard his drug use and criminality had left him estranged from his family, although he was in recent times working to mend that gap.

Drug use became a “lifestyle” for Campbell, Judge Mullaly said.

In May 2015, he received his first conviction for violence and in 2019, Campbell was convicted of violence and stalking, following an incident against another woman with “chilling similarities” to what occurred in January 2023.

“It’s clear you have an entrenched propensity to commit serious violence against women who have barricaded themselves in their house in fear of you,” Judge Mullaly told

Judge Mullaly summarised the contents of several psychological reports and a neuropsychological report about Campbell, which detailed how Campbell displayed a “truly concerning set of beliefs or attitudes towards women” as well as a lack of insight into his offending.

Judge Mullaly said Campbell’s guilty plea came at a very late stage, with the case all but set to go to trial before Campbell chose to accept responsibility.

Campbell had 498 days spent in custody reckoned as time served.

Originally published as Ashley Campbell jailed over aggravated burglary, assault