Jakob Crowden: Launceston man guilty of domestic violence assault

A Tasmanian earthmover and footy player of otherwise “good character” called his then-partner a “slut” and “whore” before trashing her room and assaulting her, a court has heard.

An intoxicated Tasmanian earthmover and footy player verbally abused his partner during their break-up, before trashing her room and grabbing her by her jumper in an attempt to expose her underwear, causing her to fall over, a court has heard.

Legana man Jakob Bradley Crowden, 25, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday to charges of common assault and destroying property.

Both offences occurred at an address in Legana at approximately 11pm on September 17 last year.

Crowden’s partner picked the defendant up from Kmart Launceston after he had been to a party.

When Crowden entered the vehicle, he verbally abused her, calling her a “slut” and “whore”, accused her of sleeping around, and blamed her for the breakdown of the relationship, the court heard.

Once arriving home, Crowden slammed the car door so hard his partner thought the glass had shattered – he also slammed the steering wheel prior to exiting.

Then, Crowden told his partner she was not welcome inside their shared residence – it was now “his house” and he would “take her for everything she has”.

After a while, Crowden’s partner entered the house to find her bedroom trashed, with photo frames and candles among items destroyed.

The court heard Crowden’s partner asked him to leave her room but he refused, instead snatching her handbag and phone from her person.

His aggressive behaviour “escalated” and Crowden then attempted to wrench his partner’s hoodie up to expose her underwear, in the belief it would support his belief she had been unfaithful.

This action caused his partner to fall into the ground, thus constituting the common assault.

His partner felt “trapped and afraid” due to Crowden’s actions, the court was told.

Crowden subsequently calmed down and attempted to put his girlfriend’s room back together.

Defence lawyer Evan Hughes said his client “had no right to control” his girlfriend by attempting to expose her underwear and submitted the assault was “out of character” for his client.

He said his client was a machinery operator at an earthmoving business and a “committed” member of his football club since age 15.

Mr Hughes noted his client and his now ex-partner required no other court intervention to settle their affairs, and the woman did not believe Crowden to be an ongoing threat.

Magistrate Ken Stanton said the assault “diminished (the victim) as a person”.

However, noting Crowden’s otherwise good character, he imposed a 12-month good behaviour bond and did not record a conviction.