Busselton woman warned prison is in her future if she continues to breach restraining orders

A Busselton woman has been warned she is on a path to imprisonment if she continues to breach restraining orders, escaping with simple fines for the second time. Ashanta Moanna Povey pleaded guilty to breaching a family violence restraining order in Busselton Magistrate’s Court this week. It was revealed in court that a week and a half after receiving a family violence restraining order protecting her ex-partner, Daniel Charles Pratt, she breached it by sending “emotionally abusive” and “derogatory” text messages to him. The court was told the breach was not the first on Povey’s record, having a “long history” of breaching restraining orders against another ex-partner from 2018. It was also revealed in court Mr Pratt had filed the restraining order against her a day after she had an order served on him, which he is currently in the Magistrate’s Court for allegedly breaching three times. Povey represented herself. She apologised and took “full responsibility” for her behaviour, despite her taking out an order against her ex-partner first. Both restraining orders have now been dropped by the pair. Magistrate Benjamin Tyers agreed only to fine Povey $750, but he chastised her for putting the blame on her ex-partner for her actions. “What concerns me a bit is that you’re here to be sentenced for breaching a violence restraining order but what you were saying when you addressed me is you were blaming Daniel, that you put one on him first,” he said. “Whether you had one on him isn’t really the issue today. “You’re not in a third-strike position ... but had some of the other convictions of breaching a restraining order been within two years of this, the law says essentially you get jailed. “You’re not far away, even without the two years gap. “You’re getting a record for breach of restraining orders, but what I will take into account is you were placed on an intensive supervision order previously for breaches, and it looks like you completed that.”