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 assault on December 2 last year
A three-time Olympic rower has pleaded guilty to violence against a woman.
Simon Burgess, 56, had previously indicated he would fight the charge relating to an incident in Franklin, Tasmania, on December 2 last year.
But in Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday, he pleaded guilty to the charge of common assault, along with three counts of breaching a family violence order and one count of injuring property.
It means that the matter will now move straight into facts and sentencing.
Court documents claim that Burgess, who won silver in Sydney and Athens, slapped the woman 'numerous times' to the head and punched a hole in the plaster wall of her bedroom.
The breaches of the family violence order, which is a type of restraining order, occurred through that common assault when he breached the condition that he not directly or indirectly threaten, abuse or assault the woman in question.
Simon Burgess (left) has pleaded guilty to common assault against a woman
Burgess is a two-time Olympic silver medallist but pleaded guilty after an incident last year
He breached another condition which set out that he not enter the property she was living in, and a third term which stated he not damage the property.
Andrew Tye, the police prosecutor, indicated that the victim may wish to give an impact statement at the next court date on August 13.
Burgess is one of Tasmania's most successful rowers and was named the Tasmanian Institute of Sport's Athlete of the Year on three occasions - in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
