Former detective Matthew Thomson asks court not to jail him for vile DV offences against former wife

A former decorated police detective who pleaded guilty to a slew of assaults against his ex-wife has asked the judge to not send him to prison.

A former decorated police detective who boasted online about his ability to “influence” people has begged a court to let him serve his sentence on home detention, or suspend it altogether.

Sitting in a District Court room full of his victim’s supporters on Tuesday morning, Matthew Alan Thomson was silent as his lawyer asked Judge Anthony Allen not to jail him.

The former SA Police detective in February pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault and one count of aggravated assault causing harm against his former wife.

Matthew Thomson, former SAPOL detective on DV charges enters the Samuel Way building. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

Stella Magnisalis, ex-wife of Matthew Thomson, enters the Samuel Way building. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

At his last appearance, Stella Magnisalis said her ex-husband’s abuse was “slow, deliberate, calculated” and that after he would hurt her, Thomson – a former cop – would go about his days working in the family violence sector.

“My silence was not consent. I was trained to be obedient, to hide my pain,” Ms Magnisalis said.

“You broke things to scare me, and eventually I was one of them. My home became a prison and I lived in constant fear. To this day, I still believe that you’re going to kill me.”

She said over the years, Thomson had stomped on her, kicked her head “like a ball” and left her body covered in bruises.

But on Tuesday, Peter Morrison, for Thomson, asked Judge Allen to consider allowing his client to serve his prison sentence in the comfort of his own home, rather than a correctional institution.

“Our position remains that there is good reason to impose a home detention sentence,” Mr Morrison said.

“With the extended time since the last offending, some seven years, and his rehabilitation, the safety of the community would be maintained even if a home detention order were in place.

“He’s at low risk of reoffending and could continue his rehabilitation in the community. Overall, we would say that rehabilitation is the best protective measure.”

Prosecutor Tracey Nelson said it was her position that the only appropriate penalty was a sentence of imprisonment.

“Sentencing principles for domestic violence are paramount and general and personal deterrence play a most critical role,” she said.

Thomson will be sentenced later this month.

He posted videos on YouTube about his time working in SAPOL. Pictures: Facebook

Matthew Thomson in police uniform. Picture: YouTube

Speaking in a YouTube video titled “Introduction to Matt Thomson” – posted to the platform nearly four years after his last charged offence – the former cop spoke about how he’d become “entrenched in toxic masculinity”, but that it was fatherhood the led him to that realisation.

“I’m a former specialist detective and undercover operative. I worked in the specialist crimes squads, where performance and outcomes were heavily reliant on my ability to understand, engage and influence people,” he said.

“More than anything else, I’m an emotionally invested dad. Becoming a father 12 years ago helped me realise just how deeply entrenched in a culture of toxic masculinity I’d become, where conflict and trauma were masked by unintentional tokenism and the pride attached to resilience.”

Originally published as Former detective Matthew Thomson asks court not to jail him for vile DV offences against former wife