A serial family violence offender will remain behind bars for breaching restraining orders, imposed to protect his children and stepchildren.
Matthew Henley, 40, represented himself from Eastern Goldfields Regional prison after pleading guilty to seven charges at his last court appearance.
Police prosecutor Constable Nixon said Henley’s restraining orders prohibited him from being within 50 metres of multiple protected persons.
He said on February 27, Henley breached his order when he attended a Pink Lake property and grabbed a child before flinging them across the room, causing bruising.
Addressing the court via video, Henley said the child had a knife and he was concerned they were going to inflict harm on their mother.
Two weeks later in similar circumstances, Constable Nixon said Henley came within 25 metres of three young children on the restraining order.
Henley took full responsibility of his actions.
“Please forgive me for my weakness,” Henley said.
“For the past couple of months, I’ve lived in regret, remorse and shame.
“I’m glad I’m [in prison] today because this is a great wake up call for me.”
Henley said he planned to go to extended rehab when he was released, start a rubbish collection business and offer courses for children with a troubled past to give them the help he wished he had received.
Magistrate Yoo said Henley’s actions were extremely serious.
“The real essence of this is the imbalance between yourself and your children,” Magistrate Yoo said.
“They trusted you.
In terms of any suggestion your children are at fault, they are not.
Magistrate Yoo understood Henley “only did what he was taught to do [through his childhood] and that he had a “series of unaddressed complex needs.”
He said he recognised Henley’s remorse, but with prior violence-related offences he said a reasonable term of immediate imprisonment was warranted.
Henley was sentenced to a cumulative sentence of seven months imprisonment, with eligibility for parole.
His sentence was backdated to the time he was arrested on March 12.
Magistrate Yoo declared Henley a serial family violence offender.
