Bashing victim’s Married at First Sight match with

EXCLUSIVE: AN ASSAULT victim was matched with a man with a history of violence on Nine’s popular TV dating ­series, ­Married at First Sight.

AN ASSAULT victim was matched with a man with a history of violence on Nine’s popular TV dating ­series, ­Married at First Sight.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal that controversial contestant Jono Pitman was ­ordered to complete an anger-management course after ­admitting assault and recklessly causing injury to a man in a 2008 bar brawl.

Remarkably, the series experts matched Mr Pitman, 28, with Clare Verrall, 31, who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and physical injuries in a separate unprovoked ­attack in ­Prahran last year.

Clare and Jono from Married at First Sight on their wedding day. Picture: Channel 9

Mr Pitman discussed his past behaviour with Ms Verrall while they were being filmed for the show.

Appearing before Ringwood Magistrates’ Court as a result of the brawl, Mr Pitman has no criminal ­record. But his violence is a matter of public record.

Reluctant to comment on the matter because she is still under contract to Nine, Ms Verrall said: “I was very disappointed that, knowing my history of PTSD after a violent attack and knowing I had joined the show earnestly trying to put myself out there to find love, the show and psychologists partnered me with someone who had known anger management issues and who has been arrested for violent behaviour.”

Ms Verrall was left with a broken nose and toe and a black eye when attacked by a man while walking her dog.

Clare Verrall in a video she posted on Facebook after she was attacked.

She has spoken openly about how the incident left her emotionally fragile.

As participants on the TV show aimed at matchmaking strangers, Mr Pitman and Ms Verrall were required to live together as husband and wife in the one house, spending nights alone together.

The pair famously clashed on the series and split well ­before filming finished.

Mr Pitman denied any wrongdoing. “I didn’t have to tell them (Nine) anything ­because I have no criminal ­record,” he said.

“They do a criminal record check and all these other tests and I passed all that.”

Jono and Clare on Married at First Sight. Picture: Channel 9

A spokeswoman for Nine confirmed it was aware of Mr Pitman’s history when he was partnered with Ms Verrall.

Both underwent “an exhaustive process of testing”, she said. “Clare’s assault was publicly recorded as was her advocacy in relation to dealing with her experience.

“Jono does not have a history of violence, he has no criminal record. He was involved in an incident eight years ago and attended an anger-management course, which was known,” she said.

“Clare and Jono discussed the incident on the honeymoon and at no stage did ­either request to withdraw.”

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