Sydney publican and domestic abuser pleads guilty to drink driving
A millionaire Sydney pub baron who narrowly avoided prison for viciously abusing his ex-partner now risks being locked up for drink driving.
NSW
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A Sydney millionaire publican and convicted woman basher could soon be swapping his luxury Bondi pad for a prison cell after pleading guilty to being drunk behind the wheel again.
Phillip de Angelis was convicted of viciously beating his former socialite girlfriend Nellie Tilley in 2016 after a plea agreement saw a further 20 charges dropped, including claims he choked her.
The 39-year-old was banned from drinking or taking drugs when sentenced to an 18-month home detention in his $4 million Bondi apartment, which was reduced on appeal to one day a week community service last year.
De Angelis did not appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday where his lawyer entered guilty pleas to mid range drink driving and handling his mobile phone behind the wheel.
When police pulled over de Angelis' Toyota Corolla in Surry Hills late last year and asked him why he was on his phone, the powerful baron told them his GPS was confusing him, agreed facts state.
”Ah, just trying to get to haircut. Don’t know where I am going,” de Angelis said.
He had been driving down Cleveland Street about 3pm on December 17 and after returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.086, de Angelis claimed he'd had two schooners of beer at a Petersham pub.
De Angelis' intensive corrections order expires in September and he could be thrown behind bars when his case returns for sentencing in March.
The son of hotelier Arch de Angelis has a criminal history marred by a drink driving conviction and a good behaviour bond for drug supply.
Local Court magistrate Philip Stewart described De Angelis' violence against Ms Tilley as a “cowardly, disgraceful” campaign of abuse in 2015 and 2016.
On one occasion De Angelis punched the interior designer in the mouth and on another occasion hurled a cigarette lighter at her head, leaving a permanent scar.
In a victim impact statement given to the courts Ms Tilley said: “How do I measure the impact of my sons watching their mother change from a confident, positive, happy woman to an anxious, edgy, sad and highly strung mum?"
“How do I measure the impact of being socially ostracised for coming forward?" she wrote.