Haydn James Mitchell fined after assaulting partner and punching himself in head to implicate her

A man who punched himself in the head to implicate his former partner after pushing and kicking her has been slammed as ‘immature’ by a magistrate. Haydn James Mitchell faced Rockingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with one count of common assault and one count of criminal damage or destruction of property. Prosecutor Sergeant Scott Andrews told the court Mitchell and the female victim were at an address in Bertram on September 4 when an argument broke out between the pair. The victim told Mitchell to leave and attempted to push him out the door. Mitchell retaliated by shoving her back, causing the victim to hit the dining room wall. The court heard Mitchell then started punching himself in the head before kicking the victim in the thigh after realising he was being filmed. Mitchell attempted to get out via a locked door, ripping a hole in the flyscreen door. Duty lawyer Stacey Byrne said the pair had been in an on-and-off relationship for around five years and were struggling financially in the weeks leading up to the incident. “I’ve been told Mr Mitchell had sold an expensive gold chain to earn some money, which had upset the victim and led to the argument,” she said. “He says he had a lot on his plate at the time, which caused him to react that way. “The relationship has since ended and he has been seeking a counsellor to talk about his mental health.” While handing down her sentence, magistrate Sarah Oliver said it was to Mitchell’s credit he was taking the necessary steps to address his issues. “I understand there was financial pressure, but that is never a justification to use violence,” she said. “But to start punching yourself and say to the victim ‘I’m going to tell them you hit me’ shows a level of immaturity.” Mitchell was fined $600 for the assault charge and $150 for the damage. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)