You f***ing dog’: Man’s fiery email over mum’s ashes

A bayside man has avoided a conviction being recorded after breaching a domestic violence order by sending an abusive email to his ex during a bitter fight over his mother’s ashes.

The man avoided a conviction but was placed on a six-month good behaviour bond for breaching a domestic violence order after sending an angry email after his ex-partner refused to return his late mother’s ashes. Picture: File image

A bayside man who sent an angry email after his ex-partner refused to return his late mother’s ashes has avoided a conviction but was placed on a six-month good behaviour bond for breaching a domestic violence order.

The man pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court to two counts of contravening a domestic violence order, after breaching a Temporary Protection Order in May.

The court heard he sent 22 emails to his former partner between May 16 and 22, mostly about finalising property matters.

The messages were not abusive and related to collecting belongings from their former shared home with her replying to the messages.

His ex responded to 13 of those emails before cutting off communication.

But on May 24, the man sent a single message that Magistrate Deborah Vasta said crossed the line.

The court heard the email.

“You f***ing dog. You gave my mother’s ashes to a c***. Hope you end up beside your father, your mother and brothers,” the court heard.

Police said the man made full admissions, telling officers he was devastated his ex had handed the ashes to a third party, knowing they would not return them to him.

He said he was deeply hurt after receiving a mocking reply that said:

“You ain’t getting your ashes back” with smiling face emojies.

The man’s defence lawyer said her client’s outburst was inappropriate, but came from a place of genuine emotional distress.

She described the breaches as “low-level” and urged the court to impose a good behaviour bond without recording a conviction.

“He was with the complainant for eight years, but that relationship is now over,” she said. “There is no ongoing contact or reason for future interaction. He was simply trying to sort out property matters.”

The court heard the man had not committed an offence in 18 years, lives with a flatmate, and survives on a disability support pension.

The magistrate accepted the emotional context but reminded the man that the protection order he was subject to does not allow contact under any circumstance, unless varied by a court.

The man was placed on a $300 good behaviour bond for six months.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as You f***ing dog’: Man’s fiery email over mum’s ashes