By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Former AFL footballer Andrew Lovett is facing scores of charges involving multiple alleged assaults and family violence order breaches against a woman in Berwick.
Lovett, 39, appeared by video link from remand prison at a Dandenong Magistrates’ Court hearing on 15 February.
His lawyer David Grace QC sought extra time to resolve the list of 88 charges, which include assaults, recklessly causing injury and property damage between February 2020 and June 2021.
He said following negotiation with prosecutors, the charges would be reduced if a plea of guilty went ahead.
Police allege that Lovett became controlling and “physically violent” with his then-partner three months after they began a relationship.
It descended to “extremely toxic” levels, police stated in a summary tendered to the court.
Many of the assaults were in alleged defiance of family violence intervention orders.
In January 2021, after the victim blocked his access to their joint credit card, Lovett allegedly abused her over the phone, including a message: “I hope you, your mum and you(r ) nan passes away you c***. Typical c***. F*** I hate you. Dog.”
At the time, her grandmother was seriously ill.
According to police, Lovett, accusing her of a text showing she was ‘cheating’ on him, threw her i-Phone into the bathroom tiled wall where she was showering last March. The phone reportedly shattered into glass and plastic
Lovett denied to police that he then allegedly punched her several times to the head, and that he kicked her to the stomach while she lay on the floor.
The victim alleged she blacked out before waking to see blood pouring from her face running into the shower drain.
Some of the other alleged assaults included being picked up and thrown by Lovett into a pool fully clothed, struck to the face with a purported shoe, and her face slammed into a steering wheel while driving, police stated.
Several persistent family violence order breaches and stalking offences occurred while on bail between last August-December, police allege.
Recently, Lovett had unsuccessfully applied for bail at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court.
Lovett played 88 games for Essendon between 2005-’09.
His next scheduled hearing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court is on 10 March.
