Aussie world champion who won Olympic silver pleads guilty to domestic violence charges
- Simon Burgess has pleaded guilty to domestic violence
- Former rower won two Olympic silver medals
- Incident related to an attack on December 2 last year
A three-time Olympic rower has pleaded guilty to assault on a woman.
Simon Burgess, 56, had previously indicated he would fight charges relating to an incident in Franklin, Tasmania, on December 2 last year.
But on Thursday he pleaded guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court to the charge of common assault, along with three charges of breaching a family violence order and one charge of damaging property.
It means that the case will now relate directly to the facts and the conviction.
Court documents allege Burgess, who won silver in Sydney and Athens, punched the woman in the head ‘several times’ and punched a hole in the plaster wall of her bedroom.
The violations of the restraining order, a kind of restraining order, took place through that general attack, in which he violated the condition that he could not directly or indirectly threaten, abuse or attack the woman in question.
Simon Burgess (left) has pleaded guilty to simple assault on a woman
Burgess is a two-time Olympic silver medalist but pleaded guilty following an incident last year
He breached another condition that he not enter the property where she lived, and a third condition that he not damage the property.
Police prosecutor Andrew Tye indicated the victim may wish to make an impact statement at the next court hearing on August 13.
Burgess is one of Tasmania’s most successful rowers and has been named Tasmanian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year three times: in 1997, 1999 and 2000.