Michael Waters: AVO breaches land Port Macquarie man in court

A magistrate has warned a Port Macquarie man dragged out of his ex’s shower in breach of a violence order to “stop getting rat-faced”, “grow up” and “get off the grog” or face a “crap life”.

A magistrate has warned a young Port Macquarie man to “stop getting rat-faced” after he repeatedly breached violence orders to protect his ex while on court orders for a shocking series of pub brawls.

Michael Waters, 24, has been locked up since March 24 after he was charged with contravening two apprehended violence orders imposed to protect his former partner.

His latest string of offences prompted a magistrate to warn him to “grow up and get off the grog” – or face enduring a “crap life”.

Documents tendered to Port Macquarie Local Court reveal Waters was forbidden to contact his former partner, go near her or go within 100m of her home.

On March 11 police subsequently found him jumping out her bedroom window and running away.

“She seemed scared to provide full details to the police, as she was concerned Waters may cause her further harm,” agreed police facts state.

Police attempted to speak to Waters at his home and when he attended the police station to report for bail but he fled.

On March 20, police attended the woman’s unit again after receiving a tip-off from a local resident and found Waters hiding in the shower with the curtain drawn.

“He was arrested and escorted out to the police caged vehicle, calling out ‘I love you Hillie’ multiple times,” agreed police facts state.

Michael Waters, 24.

Waters pleaded guilty to both offences, which constituted breaches of three prior court orders he was already subject to in respect of three separate pub brawls in Sydney and Port Macquarie.

On November 28 2020, Waters was charged with common assault after he refused to leave Finnians Irish Tavern in Port Macquarie then pushed a security guard in the stomach.

On March 5 2021, Waters was charged with intimidation when he was thrown out of the Toxteth Hotel in Glebe, stripped off his shirt and started yelling “come at me” and “have a go then”.

Mere weeks later on April 20 2021, Waters was charged with common assault after he swung at a security guard at the Shark Hotel in Sydney and grabbed him by the shirt as they attempted to escort him from the venue following an argument about pool.

He was serving a community corrections order for all three pub brawls when he pleaded guilty to contravening the AVO twice – triggering a breach.

At court on May 5, Magistrate Paul Mulroney said Waters has an “atrocious history of violence” and accepts limited responsibility for his actions but is “inclined to blame others”.

He sentenced Waters to prison for two months, backdated to March 20 and expiring on May 19.

Mr Mulroney also revoked the community corrections order previously made and imposed a new one which expires on May 4, 2023.

It includes supervision, 50 hours’ community service and abstinence from alcohol.

Michael Waters appeared in Port Macquarie Local Court.

The magistrate warned Waters that the court would have no choice but to explore longer and harsher jail sentences if he did not clean his act up.

“If you keep offending like this, there’s only one option: to lock you up,” Mr Mulroney said.

“You take the weak way out by trying to use grog to cover up your problems – it’s pathetic, grow up and get off the grog.”

The magistrate suggested Waters explore rehabilitation options after his release.

“Stop getting rat-faced at pubs,” Mr Mulroney suggested.

“Deal with it (your relationship with alcohol) or you’re going to have a crap life.

“There are (rehab) opportunities there, if you’ve got the guts to take them – it’s not rocket science.”

Waters’ solicitor Rose Tasdemir told the court her client was hoping to turn things around, with ambitions of acquiring work and studying landscaping at TAFE.

Ms Tasdemir had asked the magistrate to consider releasing Waters to give him a chance to “get his act together”, but Mr Mulroney was reluctant given Waters’ history of noncooperation.

“He only engages with Community Corrections when he’s threatened with a return to court,” the magistrate said.

“So he isn’t really trying to make much of a change – if he was a racehorse, I wouldn’t bet on him.”

Mr Mulroney acknowledged that Waters had moved from Sydney to Port Macquarie in hopes of making a fresh start on the Mid North Coast closer to his mother – but noted Waters had continued to breach orders even after relocating.