Bloke reveals why he locked his girlfriend on the balcony of a lavish Sydney hotel – before she then plunged 10 storeys to her death
A man who locked his partner on the balcony of a high-rise hotel has admitted they had an argument over her text messages with a former lover.
New details have emerged in court after Scott Andrew Minigle, 55, pleaded guilty to holding down Jodie Lovell, 45, to gain an advantage before she fell ten stories from the Hyatt on May 22, 2020 Regency Hotel in Sydney.
The court heard Ms Lovell was outside for about 20 minutes while ‘crying and distressed’ before going over the edge of the balcony.
She had been locked outside by Minigle after he found a conversation between her and a former lover on her phone.
“I got her phone… was going through her text messages, just stupid, and I came across some from a guy,” Minigle told the court, Seven News reported.
‘They were a bit suggestive. That’s what stirred the plot.”
He further admitted that the couple had a tumultuous relationship and that he felt jealous after reading the messages, but insisted he never wanted to harm her.
Minigle claimed he locked Ms Lovell on the balcony to let her ‘cool her heels’ before they continued discussing the messages.
Scott Minigle pleaded guilty to holding Jodie Lovell (pictured) down to gain an advantage before she fell from the 10-storey Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sydney on May 22, 2020.
Minigle (pictured) claimed he locked Ms Lovell on the balcony to let her ‘cool her heels’ after finding texts from her former lover on her phone
The charge against Minigle relates to him locking his partner outside so he could read the texts in full. He has not been charged in her death.
“The hotel manager stated that the perpetrator told her… that his girlfriend was on the balcony and that they were arguing and that he then closed the balcony door,” according to a statement of facts from Crown. Daily Telegraph read.
“He didn’t say what he did next, but he turned to the balcony and she was gone.”
Minigle told officers that shortly before she fell, Ms. Lovell was standing on a chair on the balcony.
Minigle told officers that Ms Lovell was standing on a chair on the balcony shortly before she fell from the Hyatt Regency Hotel (pictured)
“The perpetrator was crying and upset,” the facts continued.
“He kept repeating ‘why did I do it’ and he said ‘I’m stupid’.”
Police also found messages that Minigle sent her ex while she was on the balcony.
He sent ‘if you don’t leave Jodie alone you’re f****d’, followed by a water gun emoji.
“If I had any inkling that she would do something as ridiculous as she did, there is no way I would have locked that door, no way I would have locked that door,” Minigle told police.
“I wanted her to settle down, wanted our good night to continue, wanted to be able to talk about what we were going through.”
Minigle was brought before the Sydney District Court for sentencing.
He faces a maximum sentence of fourteen years behind bars.
Minigle refused to answer reporters’ questions as he arrived and left the court.