A man who lost his cool with the manager of the Albury NSW Services had inadvertently assaulted her, his lawyer says.
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Solicitor Angus Lingham told Albury Local Court that David Fletcher had become concerned that vital paperwork was being taken away from him.
Fletcher was trying to apply for his birth certificate, having been told that the outlet could help.
But when told it couldn't, he became "frustrated" and, Mr Lingham said, only grabbed the female manager's arm and pulled it forward in the desperate process of trying to retrieve the paperwork off the bench.
As a result of his upset, Fletcher's behaviour deteriorated and he swore at people inside the office.
Fletcher previously pleaded guilty to charges of common assault and offensive language, after the withdrawal of an affray charge, though his sentencing was put over for a week.
Mr Lingham then made an application for Fletcher's case to be dealt with under section 14 of the NSW Mental Health Act, by way of a mental health care plan rather than at law.
He said Fletcher, 41, had been the dealt with under this legislation in the past and that it was in his best interest for this to occur again.
"He was frustrated with the process that they could not help him," Mr Lingham said of the incident on November 10, 2023.
Mr Lingham said Fletcher, who had spent six nights in custody relevant to his offending, had made "remarkable progress" with his mental health thanks to a treatment plan in place.
He had also secured a private rental in Lavington, "which is significant for him".
Mr Lingham said Fletcher - who had a four-year gap in offending before last year - had also been fully compliant with his bail, which required him to abstain from illicit drugs and alcohol.
Ms McLaughlin said she accepted the assault and profane language occurred in circumstances where the manager took hold of the paperwork.
She said there clearly was a nexus between Fletcher's significant mental health issues and the behaviour that arose that day in Services NSW.
Ms McLaughlin granted the application and dismissed the charges.
