Campbelltown psychologist Andrew Symkowiak pleads guilty to intimidation

A Campbelltown psychologist threatened to call bikie kingpins and underworld figures in a string of distressing drunk messages to a woman.

Andrew Symkowiak.

A respected Campbelltown psychologist threatened to call underworld figures on his partner amid accusations of infidelity in explosive drunk messages, a court has heard.

Andrew Symkowiak, 43, pleaded guilty to stalk or intimidate intending to cause fear of physical or mental harm at Campbelltown Local Court on Friday.

The father-of-three intimidated a woman between 2am and 6am on March 15.

Documents tendered to court stated Symkowiak and the woman had separated after 18 years in 2022 due to allegations Symkowiak continued to drink alcohol after being admitted into rehab twice.

Between March 13 and 14, Symkowiak’s partner received multiple text messages from Symkowiak where he said: “I hope your boyfriend is okay, I copped it for years.”

Messages Andrew Symkowiak sent.

Symkowiak further accused the woman’s previous work colleague of stealing her and threatened to call a drug dealer for a favour, according to police facts.

According to the facts, Symkowiak told the victim she “never answered any of my questions” and he was “going to unleash.”

“I cannot contain my rage, I am going to rip someone’s head off,” he texted in one message.

‘I’ve got the cops, I’ve got bikies, I have underworld figures, don’t f**k with me I don't tell you this stuff,” Symkowiak wrote in another text.

The woman reassured Symkowiak nothing happened with her colleague.

According to agreed facts, Symkowiak told his wife: “sorry on the phone to my bikie kingpin, will be sorted in a few hours.”

‘Protect him all you want, he’s getting f**ked up, I’m done being nice. I have been patient for years while you have tortured me,” he texted.

Symkowiak was arrested on March 15 at Narellan Police Station and officers seized a black coloured Samsung mobile phone.

 

Lawyer John Fasha said Symkowiak is a respected member of the community and asked for a non-conviction as it would affect his business.

“He is (Symkowiak) sorry and remorseful and understands the seriousness of the charge and is undertaking treatment in his own charge,” Mr Fasha said.

Mr Fasha said his client completed the SMART recovery program, was seeing a psychiatrist every three weeks and would have a hearing with the Psychology Council of NSW.

Magistrate Rana Daher said Symkowiak is a compassionate psychologist and upstanding member of the community who has high prospects for rehabilitation.

“Even psychologists are not immune to mental health issues and his life spiralled out of control,” she said.

Ms Daher said there was tension between the pair and the claims of infidelity lead to his symptoms of depression, anxiety and low self esteem to increase and he self medicated with alcohol.

“He expressed his remorse and his deep love for [the victim] … he had a wake up call as a result and commenced the smart recovery program,” Ms Daher said.

Symkowiak was sentenced to a conditional release order for 12 months without conviction. An apprehended domestic violence order was also made for two years