Wayne Geber: Bondi personal trainer convicted of domestic violence
A personal trainer to some of Sydney’s biggest household names, who haunted his girlfriend with impulsive and degrading acts of violence across a 14-month period, has learnt his fate in court.
Southern Courier
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A personal trainer to some of Sydney’s biggest household names, who haunted his girlfriend with impulsive and degrading acts of violence across a 14-month period, has narrowly escaped a full-time prison sentence.
Wayne Robert Geber, with about ten male supporters sprawled behind him, was staring down the barrel of a 12-month prison sentence for violent acts against his ex-fiance Helenna Haddad which were described as “nothing other than cowardly” by Judge Dina Yehia in Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday.
The 48-year-old father-of-one, whose clientele includes cricketer David Warner and 9 News presenter Peter Overton, had pleaded guilty to unleashing five acts of physical violence in a reign of domestic violence horror between August 2014 and February 2016.
The attacks often took place inside the Paddington apartment Geber shared with Ms Haddad. On one occasion he punched her in the face when she was five months pregnant with his child and, in an unrelated incident, he placed his then-girlfriend in a headlock and repeatedly spat on her.
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In October 2014 Ms Haddad was left with a perfused eardrum after Geber clapped her across the head with his hand after she tried to prevent him from going to yoga.
Geber had appealed the severity of the 12-month prison sentence handed out in the Local Court in June, with his legal team arguing the violence did not justify a prison sentence.
The court heard, as a result of publicity surrounding his violent streak, Geber had received phone calls from people threatening to kill him and his personal training business has suffered.
“The publicity and loss of business and reputation are direct consequences of his inexcusable criminal conduct,” Judge Yehia said.
A letter from a former romantic partner of Geber described his demeanour as “calm and happy” and character references, which labelled his violence as “inexcusable”, said the personal trainer was a gentle and empathetic friend.
Judge Yehia found Geber was genuinely sorry and unlikely to reoffend, had taken steps to address his anger management and would likely suffer more in prison due to a heart condition however, ruled jail was the appropriate punishment.
Geber was sentenced to a one-year jail sentence, to be served in the community as an intensive corrections order, with conditions including he is electronically monitored at all times, placed on home detention and completes 100 hours community service.