A LAWYER who claims she was "bullied" into entering a guilty plea for her client has requested a transcript of the proceedings.
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Defence solicitor Yvonne Phillipos told Tamworth District Court on Monday she was called from a medical appointment on the last occasion to deal with the case of her client, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The transcript was ordered in November after Ms Phillipos said she was precluded from making a Section 32 [mental health] application because the local court magistrate's tone was one of "judicial bullying".
Ms Phillipos told the court the magistrate had indicated that her client's hearing would run and that if he were found guilty he would go to jail.
"I excused myself to obtain instructions and received them that if he ran that hearing he was going to be found guilty and go to jail," she said.
"Hence, he instructed me to enter a plea of guilty based on those instructions.
"I can tell you the tone when I attended court at midday was enough to intimidate me not to make that application under 32.
"I didn't feel at all comfortable making those Section 32 applications after those comments were made."
Judge Deborah Payne told the court Ms Phillipos could enter her application without the need for a transcript.
"Please don't do this, he's not here to defend himself," she said.
However, Judge Payne said she needed to be sure that the guilty plea entered by Phillipos' client still stood.
Judge Payne asked Ms Phillipos to ensure her client understood that regardless of the mental health application, a guilty plea means he is admitting to the charges.
Ms Phillipos left the court to check that her client did not want to traverse his plea.
When she returned she confirmed he would still enter a plea of guilty but would also move forward with the Section 32 application.
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The accused is charged with two counts of intimidation with the intent of physical harm and contravention of an AVO.
There are appeals pending on all matters.
The matter will return to court for hearing before Judge Payne.