Sydney pub baron avoids jail over domestic violence
A millionaire Sydney pub baron is set to avoid jail time for the “cowardly” campaign of domestic violence he carried out on his socialite ex-girlfriend.
Phillip DeAngelis will be spending part of an 18-month sentence in his $4 million Bondi apartment rather than jail after pleading guilty to five counts of offences relating to the violent treatment of his former partner Janelle 'Nellie' Tilley.
Magistrate Phillip Stewart initially told the court he believed “nothing other than jail” was appropriate, but changed his mind during sentencing. However, he did take aim at both DeAngelis and his wealthy family, saying their main concern was damage to the family name. DeAngelis' family own hotels across Sydney, while their relatives the Laundy family are among Australia’s richest pub barons.
“The offender expresses he is not proud, is upset, regretful and embarrassed about his actions,” the court heard.
“(But) there's very little corroboration of this in the accompanying reference material. The reference from his parents indicates ‘he is very ashamed of what he's put our family through" and "media articles have caused him much stress’.”
DeAngelis was initially charged with more than 20 offences from his violent romance with the mother-of-two, but pleaded guilty to just five after agreeing to a plea deal.
Magistrate Stewart said the common assault charges were worth a nine-month sentence and the reckless wounding charges 15 months, with an aggregate of 18 months.
DeAngelis will reappear in court on January 29 so the findings of the assessment and a sentence can be handed down.
Sheridan Randall, 7th December 2018
