Jail for laundromat bashing

Dandenong Magistrates' Court. Picture: GARY SISSONS

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A man has been jailed after a brutal, drug-fueled assault on a woman in front of a public laundromat in Dandenong.

Adrian Jacobson, 40, pleaded guilty to common-law assault for punching his domestic partner to the ground then repeatedly kicking her to the head, chest and body about noon on Friday 25 June.

Jacobson dropped his knee on her, stomped on the back of her head and kicked her face while yelling obscenities at her, a police summary tendered to Dandenong Magistrates’ Court stated.

Two witnesses intervened and helped the victim to her feet. But they retreated to a shop when Jacobson turned his aggression to them.

Jacobson then resumed verbally abusing her until police sirens were heard.

Police say the victim was found hiding around the corner in Edith Street. She was hospitalised with cuts and bruises to her face and body.

Jacobson was described as “substance affected” and “aggressive and abusive” towards police. A silver knife was seized from his pants pocket.

He refused to be interviewed by police.

At the time, he was on bail over carrying a stolen wallet and stealing booze from a bottle shop.

According to the police summary, Jacobson had a lengthy history of family violence and breaching intervention orders.

Jacobson pleaded guilty to common law assault, possessing a controlled weapon and committing an indictable offence on bail.

On 21 July, defence lawyer Daniel Badov told the court that Jacobson’s “big problem” was drug use.

At the time, the accused was using meth.

Prior to that, he’d injected heroin for 20 years before turning to a methadone program.

Jacobson submitted for jail without parole, since his last four applications were rejected by the state’s parole board, Mr Badov said.

Magistrate Julie O’Donnell said Jacobson’s actions were a “serious example of an assault in a public place”.

She noted his 59 pages of criminal priors including recent convictions for thefts and “serious violence”.

Jacobson was jailed for 14 months, which was a “substantial” discount due to his early plea and custody conditions during Covid.

He was also served a 12-month full intervention order.