Abbotsford man Wayne Robinson sentenced at Ballarat court for attempting to pervert the course of justice

A former Ballarat man sent letters to a woman from prison, pressuring her to withdraw her statement about his criminal offending so he could get out of jail.

Abbotsford man Wayne Robinson, 43, outside Ballarat County Court in January.

A criminal behind bars has made a desperate attempt to get out of jail by demanding a woman retract her complaints about his offending.

Wayne Robinson, 43 formerly of Ballarat and now of Abbotsford, faced Ballarat County Court on Wednesday after he previously pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice in January.

The court heard that Robinson, while at Metropolitan Remand Centre in Ravenhall in February 2024, repeatedly contacted a woman by text, phone, and letters both directly and through other people, pressuring her to withdraw her statements about his offending.

In March he sent another three letters.

Judge Simon Moglia told Robinson the communication was “at least in part demanding and with the aim of getting her to withdraw her statements to help you get out of prison”.

“The kind of pressure you sought to place on [the woman] was likely to have had a significant effect on her,” he said, especially as other people met her in person with Robinson’s “demands”.

When interviewed about the offending Robinson said he wanted the woman to help him get of jail and that his presence in there was “all her fault”.

Judge Moglia said it was “questionable” whether Robinson had accepted responsibility or demonstrated remorse other than his guilty plea.

He sentenced him to 16 months’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 10 months and 52 days already served.