Chief Justice Alan Blow hands down suspended sentence to Jesse Dean Bakes in the Supreme Court

“Impulsive and unplanned” is how a judge described an assault a man committed before having to be extradited to Tasmania from NSW.

Burnie Supreme and Magisterial Courts

A former drug addict who hit his ex-girlfriend in the head with a glass bong before fleeing the state before a trial for the matter began is a free man despite a Supreme Court judge handing down a sentence for his crimes.

On December 16, 2022, Jesse Dean Bakes, who was then 26, hit his then-girlfriend with the bong during an argument, which resulted in her head starting to bleed.

In his sentencing remarks at the Supreme Court in Burnie, Chief Justice Alan Blow said the woman was taken to the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe, where her wounds were closed with sutures.

“She has not provided a victim impact statement,” Justice Blow said.

“As far as I know, she has made a full recovery. As far as I know, she has not been left with any permanent scarring.

“What you did was impulsive and unplanned. It is clear that you lost your temper with her.”

Bakes had pleaded guilty to one count of wounding.

Chief Justice The Honourable Alan Blow AO. Ceremonial sitting for the 200 year anniversary of the Supreme Court of Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

He had previously pleaded not guilty but changed it after the matter was committed to trial.

“At some stage, after you were committed for trial you failed to appear in answer to your bail,” Justice Blow said.

“You had gone to New South Wales. You were arrested there and extradited back to Tasmania.

“It would seem that you had not kept your location a secret.

“On the Court file, there is a document indicating that you were living at an address at Uranquinty and that you were arrested and dealt with by extradition proceedings in the Local Court at Wagga Wagga.”

Justice Blow said that Bakes had shown signs he had the potential to rehabilitate.

“You have taken steps whilst you have been in custody to complete a course in relation to alcohol and drug dependency.

“You turned to drugs after the death of a near relative when you were 20.

“You have abstained from drugs since December 2023, about the time that you went to New South Wales.”

Bakes was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, backdated to February 13, when he entered custody.

However, Justice Blow suspended the sentence’s unserved balance on the condition that Bakes does not commit any crimes punishable by imprisonment for two years.