Home and Away child star Felix Dean sentenced over common assault of pal's dad
Former Home and Away star Felix Dean has been sentenced to prison this week after pleading guilty to common assault.
The 25-year-old child star, who rose to fame playing AJ Patterson on the Australian soap, was sentenced at Waverley Local Court in Sydney on Tuesday following a clash with a friend's dad on October 21 last year.
He plead guilty to common assault and not guilty to one charge of stalking and/or intimidation charge on November 22. However, his plea on the stalking and/or intimidation charge was later changed.
Dean was also sentenced for breaching community correction orders, which were handed down after he kicked a police officer during the coronavirus lockdown and stole an iPhone from a store worker.
He was sentenced to 11 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of five months, however this was backdated five months for time he had already spent in prison.
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The non-parole period was also discounted due to 'special circumstances' relating to Dean's mental health and deprived background, which made him eligible for parole as of April 13 and allowing his immediate release from prison.
Felix Dean pleaded guilty to common assault in November last year (Facebook)
Felix Dean rose to fame on Home and Away (Getty Images)Dean was also handed an 18 month community correction order where he will be subject to good behaviour conditions as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
The court heard how on October 21 2022, Dean had been out of prison for a number of months and was homeless when he saw a man he knew standing in an alleyway off of Oxford Street in Central Sydney.
Magistrate Ross Hudson read from agreed facts, which claimed Dean had known the man as he was the father of a boy Dean went to school with for 11 years, news.com.au reports.
The incident is said to have come after two-to-three years of conflict.
Magistrate Hudson told the court: "The accused approached the victim from behind, yelling at him – the victim recognised him.
Dean had been out of prison for a number of months when the incident took place (Facebook)"The accused inquired about the whereabouts [of his son] … [and] told him [his son] owed him $300 (£162) for an undisclosed reason. The accused seemed agitated and demanded the victim give him money."
The victim refused to give Dean the money, the court heard, and Dean allegedly grabbed the victim's arms and stood in front of him.
The court heard how Dean said: "You need to give me money now".
Once the victim threatened to call the police, Dean left the scene.
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Magistrate Hudson said how the former Home and Away actor's criminal record "escalated to a point of custody, he’s on paroles, CCOs, conditional liberties and again he goes out and commits, notwithstanding the lesser degree of violence, further violence".
Dean played VJ from 2007 until 2014 (Five TV)They added: "I note an explanation given in an apology letter to court, Dean says 'it is not lost on me that my actions have caused great deal of pain to my family.'
"'I was homeless, drunk all time, living a chaotic lifestyle, addicted to methamphetamine'. He says he recognises the need to change path he’s on."
The court also heard of Dean's battles with drug addiction, which started at the age of 15 while he was playing VJ on Home and Away.
Dean undertook the role from 2007 until 2014, where he was nominated for Best Young Actor in 2008 and 2009 at the Inside Soap Awards.
Despite his blossoming career, Dean battled drug addiction from a young age as the court heard how the actor had a "significant acting career between the ages of 8 and 16, and at that time, even with his acting career, he struggled with addictions and his mental health".
Magistrate Hudson added to the court: "He has been using prohibited substances from the age of 15."
Dean has struggled with major depressive order, PTSD and drug-induced psychosis, the court heard.
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