Jeremy Hammond: Gilgandra man shows no remorse as magistrate sends message by handing down prison sentence

An unremorseful Gilgandra man with a history of contravening domestic violence orders taken out by his mother has been “sent a message” by a magistrate in Dubbo court.

An unremorseful Gilgandra man with a dated history of contravening domestic violence orders has been sentenced in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.

Jeremy Hammond, 36, appeared in court after he was arrested in Gilgandra on Tuesday and charged with contravene prohibition or restriction in an apprehended domestic violence order.

According to documents tendered to Dubbo Local Court, police received a call at 4.30pm from Hammond’s mother “who sounded very distressed”.

The mother told police that Hammond had an argument with his aunty who he was living with on Waugan Street in Gilgandra, and he was later kicked out.

Jeremy Hammond was handed a one month imprisonment in Dubbo Local Court.

Hammond walked over to his mother’s address on Gumble Street where he remained, resulting in the mother leaving the location for a friend’s place and calling police.

At 5pm, police located the mother in the street and they were given permission to enter her house to remove Hammond from the location.

Five minutes later, police arrived at the house, knocking on an opened door before finding Hammond standing in the lounge room.

Hammond was placed under arrest and cautioned, and then handed police a letter from the NSW electoral commission, asking for officers to read it.

“Police read the letter noting that it was a fine due from when (Hammond) was last convicted of two breaches of the same ADVO a month ago,” police facts state.

Hammond was taken to Gilgandra Police Station and entered into custody, requesting for police to have his mother as a “support person”.

“It is clear to police that the accused does not take his ADVO seriously and each time he breaches it, it causes unnecessary stress to the victim,” police facts state.

“(She) is currently suffering from heart issues. The victim is also forced from her home on each breach as she does not feel safe remaining at home when the accused arrives.”

The following day the court heard from Hammond’s lawyer, Arthur Nguyen, that his client finds himself “in a manner of homelessness” and as a result he was staying with his aunty.

“He was aware he shouldn’t have been back at (his) mum’s but doesn’t have the support he needs,” Mr Nguyen said.

Magistrate Greg Grogin interjected asking Hammond why he continued to go to his mother’s house.

In reply Hammond said “I don’t have anywhere to go”, although he continued to interrupt Magistrate Grogin as he attempted to speak to Mr Nguyen about the matter.

Magistrate Grogin accepted Hammond’s early guilty plea, but was stern in assessing Hammond’s behaviour in court saying the 36-year-old was showing “no remorse and no contrition”.

Mr Nguyen continued his client’s case, highlighting that Hammond was trying to turn his life around and had a job interview coming up at a silo company.

Despite Mr Nguyen’s submissions, Magistrate Grogin took issue with Hammond’s stubbornness and his unwillingness to accept his poor behaviour.

“This will be his ninth count of contravening an AVO,” Magistrate Grogin said.

“Once again he went into his mother’s house when he shouldn’t have.

“He seems to have absolutely no regard for the well-being of his mother or the observations of the court.”

Magistrate Grogin said Hammond must be sent a message, imposing a one-month full-time imprisonment, ending on September 17.