Former reality TV star Samuel Messina has been fined for the three assaults he committed on his ex-girlfriend in 2019.
The 27-year-old, who was cast for the 2020 season of Farmer Wants a Wife, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $350 fine.
It was relayed by Magistrate Michael Ong in Port Kembla Magistrates’ Court on Monday after Messina was found guilty in the same jurisdiction in November 2022.
Former reality TV star Samuel Messina, 27, (pictured) has been fined for the three assaults he committed on his ex-girlfriend in 2019
After the court heard that Messina’s relationship with his former girlfriend was “controlling and abusive,” Messina’s attorney Mathew Lowry set out to fight for him.
“He’s very remorseful and embarrassed about this whole situation,” Mr Lowry said after praising Messina’s hard work as a truck driver.
Mr Ong appeared dubious, expressing concerns that Messina would re-offend due to the “very little acceptance” he showed for his actions.
The 27-year-old, who was cast for the 2020 season of Farmer Wants A Wife, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $350 fine
“Domestic violence is rampant in the community,” Mr Ong said.
“Many people remain in domestic relationships when violence and abusive behavior occurs.
“They are silent because they are concerned about what would happen if they left the relative safety of a roof over their heads.”
Mr Ong then sentenced Messina to 150 hours of community service, ordered him to pay a $350 fine for trespassing and said he must visit the Orange Community Corrections Office within seven days.
Messina has appealed the verdict and will face another trial in Wollongong District Court in February.
It was relayed by Magistrate Michael Ong in Port Kembla Magistrates’ Court on Monday after Messina was found guilty in the same jurisdiction in November 2022
Messina was found guilty of three counts of assaulting his ex-girlfriend in November last year.
The attacks came a year before Messina appeared on Channel Seven’s popular dating show Farmer Wants A Wife, which pairs lonely rural farmers with city girls.
The court previously heard Messina hit his ex so hard she bled for weeks.
His former partner told the court he physically abused her four times in 2019 when they lived together in Orange, NSW.
After the court heard that Messina’s relationship with his former girlfriend was “controlling and abusive,” Messina’s attorney Mathew Lowry set out to fight for him
The court heard the first attack, which took place in March 2019, consisted of him opening a door on her foot, causing pain in two of her toes.
In July of the same year, Messina grabbed her clothes and threw her on the ground.
The court also heard that on the morning of July 31, Messina pushed her before hitting her on the nose, causing bleeding.
The victim said the injury caused pain and bleeding every time she sneezed for the next month.
Messina was accused of a fourth assault in which he “whipped” her with a phone charger cord.
But Magistrate Ong said that allegation could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt as the victim’s work schedule showed she was at work at the time of the alleged incident.
The couple split not long after this alleged incident and they moved to Illawarra.
“He is very remorseful and embarrassed about this whole situation,” Mr Lowry said. Mr Ong appeared doubtful and expressed concern that Messina would re-offend due to the “very little acceptance” he showed of his actions
Messina was first charged in July 2021 with a total of seven counts of domestic violence against his ex. She had gone to the police in March of this year.
He initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, including intimidation, trespassing and assault on four counts.
He later pleaded not guilty to four counts of assault and two counts of intimidation after showing up to his ex’s mother and threatening to kill her pet rabbits.
During the two-day hearing of evidence, the court heard that the woman had found the courage to report the abuse after Messina allegedly made threats against her rabbits in February last year.
Messina was found guilty of three counts of assault that actually hurt his ex-girlfriend. The attacks came a year before Messina appeared on Channel Seven’s popular dating show Farmer Wants A Wife, which pairs lonely rural farmers with city girls
Police Prosecutor Ben Bragger told the court the woman’s delay in reporting the allegations “must not affect her credibility.”
“In 2022, delay is no reason to attack credibility,” he said, according to The Sunday Telegraph.
“Women who have been victims of domestic violence have many good reasons not to report things immediately, they are embarrassed, ashamed and do not want their private lives to be investigated.
‘She had the courage to report it [the allegations] after her safety was breached…enough was enough and she felt like she had to go to the police.
Messina was a Farmer Wants A Wife favorite but received flak for turning down two lovesick competitors Mackenzie Phillips (left) and Allanah Taranto (right).
Messina rose to fame after appearing on Channel Seven’s popular TV show Farmer Wants a Wife as one of the farmers looking for love.
He stunned viewers when he rejected two women vying for his affections, Mackenzie Phillips and Allanah Taranto.
In July 2021, claims came to light that he wasn’t a real farmer and was using his brother’s farm on the show.
Instead, it was claimed that Messina was a truck driver from Sydney.
He later said in an Instagram post that the farm used in the show was a family farm and he “never claimed it was explicitly mine.”
“I’m like everyone else out there – sometimes it takes two incomes to pay the bills. I drive trucks as a second income and it’s never been a secret,” he added.
In July 2021, claims came to light that he wasn’t a real farmer and was using his brother’s farm on the show. Instead, it was claimed that Messina was a truck driver from Sydney