Broker assaults ex-wife

By Michael Roberts | posted on November 27, 2020

THE managing director of an Albany insurance company has been fined $2,500 for assaulting his ex-partner at her workplace after a dispute erupted over who rightfully owned a Ford Mustang.

Nathan Edward Hadlow, who runs South Coast Insurance Brokers, was sentenced for a string of offences in Albany Magistrates Court last Thursday after pleading guilty to common assault and two counts of breaching a family violence restraining order.

Prosecuting Sergeant Alan Dean told the court Mr Hadlow assaulted his ex-wife in August just days after the relationship had ended.

The victim was working at a medical centre in Spencer Park when Mr Hadlow followed her through a back door of the practice to retrieve a set of keys that belonged to a Ford Mustang.

After the victim refused to hand over the keys, Mr Hadlow tried to snatch them out of her hands.

Mr Hadlow then took hold of the victim with both arms and lifted her off the ground, with his right arm around her neck, according to Sgt Dean.

Witnesses intervened and restrained Mr Hadlow, who promptly left the premises.

Mr Hadlow’s defence lawyer said he was trying to retrieve the Mustang because it belonged to South Coast Insurance Brokers.

The defence council said Mr Hadlow couldn’t recall the “precise nature of the altercation”.

Following the incident, Sgt Dean said Mr Hadlow drove to his current partner’s property on October 2 to retrieve some clothing.

But as Mr Hadlow’s ex-wife was living right behind his current partner’s home, the 54-year-old broke two violence restraining orders.

Magistrate Raelene Johnston granted Mr Hadlow spent convictions for each offence.