Family lawyer who assaulted Tasmania Police officer girlfriend forced to wait to discover if he’s going to jail

A family lawyer who assaulted his Tasmania Police officer lover has been forced to wait another month to discover if jail time is in his future. LATEST >>

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THE DRAWN-out court case of a jealous and violent family lawyer who assaulted his police officer girlfriend and her ex-lover has yet again been delayed.

Daniel John Bearman, 44, will be forced to wait another month to find out whether or not he’s destined for jail after abusing the Tasmania Police physical surveillance officer.

In August this year, Bearman was found guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court of three counts of common assault, one count of destroying property and one breach of a police family violence order.

However he was also acquitted by Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daly of another count of common assault, two counts of trespass and four other family violence order breaches.

Bearman was due to be sentenced on Tuesday, after his case has dragged through the court system over more than a year.

Daniel Bearman leaves the Hobart Magistrates Court. Picture: Chris Kidd

Daniel Bearman leaves the Hobart Magistrates Court. Picture: Chris Kidd

But defence lawyer Craig Rainbird told Mr Daly that he’d “overlooked” the commissioning of a report detailing Bearman’s psychological conditions and the cognitive therapy treatment he was receiving.

Mr Rainbird said the report would provide the magistrate with some context and explain Bearman’s motivations.

But Mr Daly again expressed his frustration over the delays.

“The longer this case goes on, the more I think about it, the delay is not doing Mr Bearman any ounce of good,” he said.

“(But) I’m going to give you an opportunity to obtain the report – I’m going to give you four weeks.”

Mr Daly’s published decision in August detailed how the Howrah victim – Bearman’s “on-again, off-again” partner – had found him “charming” before things turned sour.

She said he’d bombarded her with gifts and compliments before he became “very controlling” and “very jealous”.

In August 2017, Bearman emerged from the woman’s bedroom to find her former partner had arrived at her home.

He said “who the f... are you?” to the man before punching him about six times and spitting at him twice.

Bearman was also found guilty of assaulting the woman in January 2018 by grabbing her throat and squeezing, pushing her, and raising his fist and moving it towards her face in a threatening manner.

He will return to court on November 11 for sentence.

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