THE pleas of an Albury man to avoid a criminal conviction so he can fulfil his dream of joining the defence force have fallen on deaf ears.
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Kalan Bennet Lawson, 24, has a long-held goal of joining the Australian Defence Force as a submariner.
A conviction could see those hopes dashed.
Lawson applied to have charges stemming from a volatile incident with an ex-partner dismissed and a good behaviour bond imposed in Albury Local Court.
He had been in a relationship with the woman between January 2015 and April this year but stayed in contact after they broke up.
The victim attended his unit on Kiewa Street on July 1 and planned to stay the night.
She went to bed about midnight and Lawson entered the bedroom about 15 minutes later to ask if she had spoken to another man.
He picked up her phone, which she unlocked and he left the room.
He returned 10 minutes latest and asked in a loud, aggressive voice if they had had sex before ripping the blankets off the bed.
Lawson asked her vulgar questions, called her a slut and continued to question her before smashing her phone against a brick wall.
The impact smashed the screen and warped the phone and he told her to pick it up.
The woman gathered up belongings and Lawson followed her around the room, knocking the items from her hands while asking her more questions.
She reported the incident to police and the 24-year-old was arrested on July 4 for intimidation, common assault and causing malicious damage.
He made admissions during a police interview but said he had aimed the phone for the bed.
Magistrate Tony Murray on Monday labelled his comments towards the victim and his actions as “disgraceful” and said he was lucky not to face far more serious charges.
Lawson said he had been highly emotional at the time.
“These actions are incredibly out of character for me,” he said.
“I am otherwise a good citizen who doesn’t do anything like that.
“It was just a very emotional time.
“A conviction would impede … my application into the ADF.”
Mr Murray said it was not the behaviour expected from someone in the armed services.
Lawson continued to plead with the magistrate as he read out his decision to impose a conviction.
“Don’t interrupt me again,” Mr Murray replied.
He was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
Lawson must also pay $528 compensation to the victim for the damaged iPhone 5, which was destroyed during the incident.
