The Daily Telegraph reports,

Domestic violence preacher

A former Hillsong preacher turned motivational speaker believes he is “more qualified” to help people after domestic violence charges against him were dismissed because he was suffering depression.

Pat Mesiti, 56, was charged after grabbing his now ex-wife Andrea by the neck during an argument over a party at their family home in Glenhaven on New Year’s Eve last year. Parramatta Local Court heard Mesiti, who pleaded guilty to common assault, was struggling with the separation from his second wife and was taking anti-depressants.

Magistrate Gary Still dismissed the charge for mental health reasons and ordered Mesiti to follow a treatment plan as set out by his doctor.Outside court, a repentant Mesiti said he had learnt a lot in the past three months: “I will keep doing what I am doing and keep trying to help people.”

Source: Leigh Van Den Broeke, Domestic violence preacher, The Daily Telegraph, Published 24/03/2016.

Social worker Tanya Levin also shared her observations.

She writes,

“What Pat Mesiti failed to mention in his FB update below was that the charges of domestic violence against him were dismissed by way of Section 32, which is a mental health defense. The conditions are that he has to continue his doctor’s appointments, and keep taking his medication.

But you can’t have it both ways.

If you’re mentally ill, even temporarily when you find out your estranged wife is having a NYE party without your knowledge and you have to attack her verbally and physically in an intoxicated state, then we have to ask when else this episodes descend and whether or not you were ill when you were claiming to hear from God.

Or you’re not mentally ill and you lied in court because that’s what frauds and abusers do. Being drunk is not a mental health condition. Neither is being a wife beater.

So which is it? Do tell me, exactly which illness do you have, Pastor Pat, that causes drunken fits of rage that police find you in? Because I can’t see it in the DSM anywhere. But there’s a whole lot here on pathological liars and narcissism. And there’s no pills for those either.

I’m sorry that all these systems failed you, Mrs Mesiti. I hope you are safe wherever you are.

Here’s a pic for those of you who are unsure whether or not Pat considers himself a man of the cloth.”

Source: Tanya Levin, FaceBook, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154731456678957&set=a.56428403956.81849.612613956&type=3, Published 23/03/2016. (Accessed 23/03/2016.)