Model Kurt Ackerman, aka Kurt Roberts, has minor court win with matter dismissed on mental health grounds

A model who was once engaged to Hugh Sheridan before the actor broke off their relationship was found in a pool of ice cream after stealing 5kg from a nearby gelato store.

Kurt Ackerman leaving Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday.

A model who was once engaged to Hugh Sheridan before the actor broke off their relationship was found in a pool of ice cream after stealing 5kg from a nearby gelato store.

Kurt Ackerman, aka Kurt Roberts on social media, appeared alongside his mother at Downing Centre Local Court after pleading not guilty to domestic violence related reckless wounding.

The 32-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to assault and shoplifting, stemming from a separate incident.

Ackerman’s lawyer Kent Park appealed to Magistrate Daniel Covington on Wednesday for both matters to be dismissed on mental health grounds.

Police allege in court documents Ackerman did recklessly wound a man between 12pm and 1pm in October last year in Potts Point.

Agreed facts in a separate matter involved the model stealing a 5kg tub of Cioccolato ice cream, valued at $350, from Rivareno Gelato in March.

A short time after 10pm, Ackerman entered the store in Potts Point on three occasions.

The first time he attempted to grab hold of a female worker’s hand, and was asked to leave.

He returned and was stopped from opening the lid to one of the ice creams and again left.

However, on the third occasion, he ran into the shop, reached over the counter and took the 5kg tub of ice cream, resulting in a physical struggle with the female worker, leaving her with soreness and swelling to her right hand and wrist.

Kurt Ackerman, aka Kurt Roberts. Photo: Mark Brake

Police were called to a street approximately 300m from the ice cream shop about an hour later, regarding a “heavily intoxicated” man lying on the footpath.

Officers found Ackerman lying in a pool of melted ice cream with the tub lying nearby.

He told police he wanted to vomit and was “feeling sick from eating too much ice cream” and that he had consumed 10 to 12 standard drinks.

Ackerman was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital before being charged.

Mr Park told the court on Wednesday his client had recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia which was “substance induced” and the mental health application wasn’t opposed by the prosecution.

The court heard Ackerman was receiving monthly injections for the mental illness and he had previously used methamphetamine.

Mr Park said his client didn’t have a history of alcohol and might have been having a “psychotic episode” at the time of the ice cream incident and, since February, he had been admitted to hospital four times.

He submitted to Mr Covington that it “would be in the public interest” for the court to mandate Ackerman to receive treatment, rather than letting the matter proceed to a hearing next year, with the potential for the case to be dismissed given there’s no statement from the complainant.

Mr Covington ultimately granted the mental health application for the assault and shoplifting charges and Ackerman must comply with all directed treatment and medication by a health professional.

However, he rejected the reckless wounding application, saying it was a “serious matter” and there was “far stronger public interest” in the matter proceeding through the court due to it being domestic related.