Adye John Wells: Tasmanian DV abuser jailed for perverting justice

A meth-addicted Tasmanian with 130 family violence convictions enlisted the help of a friend to wage an atrocious campaign against his victim. DETAILS >

A meth-addicted Tasmanian abuser enlisted the help of a friend to wage a sick campaign against his victim in an attempt to get her to drop the charges pending against him.

Spreyton man Adye John Wells, 36, was sentenced in Launceston Supreme Court on Friday on a count of perverting justice.

The court heard the offence occurred between November 11, 2020 and April 17, 2021, and involved the enlistment of a co-accused, a friend of his.

Wells’ conduct involved a “planned and persistent” attempt to get his ex-girlfriend, who he dated for about two years before the relationship ended in May 2019, to drop a series of family violence complaints against him.

At the time of his offending, he was facing then-allegations, subsequently substantially proven, of breaching court orders dozens of times and emotionally abusing and threatening the woman, which were before Burnie Magistrates Court.

In concert with his co-accused, Wells planned on fabricating evidence that messages sent by him to his victim were not in fact sent by him, by having his co-accused send texts from Wells’ phone to prove the device wasn’t in his control.

The court heard Wells, a father of two, also directed his co-accused to speak with the victim in an attempt to “dissuade” her from continuing with the complaints or, alternatively, to give evidence favourable to Wells.

Wells also contacted his victim dozens of times by letter and by phone, alternatively directing “abusive comments” her way, emotionally intimidating her, expressing his love for her and offering her cash to drop the complaints.

Many of his calls were made from prison – he was remanded in custody on January 5 last year.

Wells used another Risdon inmate’s registered phone account to make several of the calls, the court heard.

Justice Tamara Jago described Wells’ conduct as “assertive, prolonged and persistent” offending against a “vulnerable complainant”.

Wells had a difficult upbringing, the court heard, marred by his father’s alcoholism, while he also regularly cared for his mother, who lives with multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair.

The defendant had a “lengthy record” of offending, much of it “directly relevant” to the current charges, Justice Jago said.

Wells had no fewer than 130 convictions for family violence and had been sentenced to multiple periods of actual incarceration previously, the court was told.

The defendant, a roofing plumber who worked in the mining industry, had a previous, stable relationship of about 10 years in which he “largely” stayed out of trouble, but following its end he returned to Tasmania’s North West Coast, where he became hopelessly addicted to methamphetamine.

“Your life has been a downward spiral ever since,” Justice Jago said.

Wells recognised his addiction had “changed him considerably” and recognised if he didn’t address his substance abuse his situation was “unlikely to improve”.

Justice Jago said Wells had finally accepted the relationship with his victim was over, aided by the fact his family had told him if he ever contacted her again, they would “sever their relationship with him”.

Wells was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, backdated to January 5 last year.

It’s understood Wells wouldn’t be released from custody on Friday as he has outstanding matters before the Magistrates Court.