Felix Dean as VJ Patterson in Home and Away alongside Ada Nicodemou. Photo / Supplied
Promising young actor Felix Dean went from Summer Bay to "struggle street" after a life in the spotlight pushed him to start using methamphetamine from the age of 15.
The actor, who shot to fame on Home and Away, will remain in prison until July after a sad descent into violence, crime and drug abuse.
Dean's troubled childhood was laid bare at Central Local Court on Tuesday as he faced sentencing for a string of violent offences.
The court heard his acting career began when he was just 7 before he was thrust into the limelight and "constantly surrounded by adults".
Criminal solicitor Elliot Rowe said Dean had "quite a different and unusual experience as a child".
Troubled Childhood
Dean got his big break at the age of 10 playing the role of "VJ" on the Channel 7 show between 2007 and 2010 alongside Ada Nicodemou, as her on-screen son.
While to many it seemed like the role of his dreams, Rowe said the early fame was a "double-edged sword" throughout his formative years.
At the same time he attended St Stanislaus' College in Bathurst, in the NSW Central West, before jumping around to other schools including the prestigious Kings School in Sydney.
Rowe told the court he suffered from sexual abuse while at the Kings School from Year 4 to year 6, and has since been diagnosed with PTSD.
The court heard Dean started smoking cannabis at just 14 and then started using "ice" while he worked on the soap opera.
Throughout his late-teen years the recreational drug use turned into a "long-standing addiction to debilitating substances", which then later led to his offending.
Dean has not had an acting job since leaving Home And Away as a 17-year-old when he was replaced by Matt Little and was nominated for Best Young Actor at the 2008 and 2009 Inside Soap Awards For his portrayal of VJ Patterson.
Descent into crime
Magistrate Alison Viney revealed to the court Dean had been involved in earlier crimes resulting in nine previous charges, including a charge of common assault in 2018, when he was discharged without conviction and was told to seek treatment for his chronic substance abuse.
In November 2019 he was again discharged under the Mental Health Act for two counts of common assault in a domestic violence setting, the court heard.
He checked in at room 3708 of the swanky Meriton Studies Hotel on Sydney's Kent St in May 2020 where he drove his Subaru WRX sedan straight through an automatic security gate in the car park, causing $7,624.93 in damage.
The 24-year-old made no attempt to report what happened to staff and pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging property.
Dean was handed a conditional release order without a conviction on the basis he sought treatment for his substance abuse issues.
However, Dean seemingly ignored the warning to seek help and again landed in the court system in January 2021.
Attack on Uber driver
After being given multiple chances to go to rehab for his drug problems, Dean faced another serious brush with the law when he attacked an Uber driver and smashed another man's window on January 6, 2021.
Court documents reveal Dean had been drinking with a friend in a park behind King St at Newtown about 7pm when he urinated outside a man's bedroom window.
The resident noticed and opened the window slightly, questioning the 24-year-old.
Dean laughed and said "do you want to fight?" before the man threatened to call the police and dialled triple 0, showing the former actor his phone screen.
The 24-year-old picked up an empty alcohol bottle from a nearby park and hauled it at the building, shattering a window.
He ran from the scene and later that night stopped an Uber driver on his way to pick up a customer, before assaulting the man and attempting to get him out of the car.
Dean ran in front of the vehicle, slapped the bonnet, opened the car door and began throwing punches at the driver's head and face.
According to court documents Dean swung both fists at the man while yelling "get out of your car you f**king c**t" but the man managed to push him off and drive away.
The attack on the Uber driver was captured on dashcam and Dean pleaded guilty to the offences of assault with intent to rob and intentionally destroy property in May last year.
Court documents stated Dean was homeless and sporadically living at hotels across Sydney or with friends, while the NSW Trustee and Guardian was in control of his finances.
While the body was paying for his accommodation Dean held on to an investment property located in Botany, depositing $330 into the Trustee account per week.
On Tuesday Rowe said Dean had been so drunk he had no recollection of the events, while Magistrate Viney described the attack on the Uber driver as "unprovoked, vicious and spontaneous".
He spent 86 days in custody on remand before he was granted bail on April 9 and moved into a rehabilitation programme at Gordon Private Hospital where he stayed for only 37 days.
It wasn't until June that things "had really fallen off the wagon" in relation to Dean's drug issues, Rowe told the court.
A work in progress
In a social media post in August, before two of his incident, Dean referred to himself as a "work in progress".
"From the good life to struggle street to finding my feet," he wrote on Facebook.
"Underestimate me, at least that makes two of us."
Covid breach
Dean's next run-in with the law occurred on the afternoon of September 18 where he had been drinking at a friend's Paddington home, during Sydney's strict Covid lockdown.
The pair erupted in a fight and police were called, but Dean could not provide proof of address to officers who declared him "drunk and smelling strongly of alcohol".
The unemployed actor became argumentative with police and began to raise his voice.
Officers escorted him out of the building towards a police vehicle where he became violent and kicked a police officer.
Dean was released on bail the following day with the promise of seeking rehabilitation for his drug and alcohol consumption issues.
His strict bail conditions included abiding by a 6pm curfew and being subjected to random drug and alcohol testing.
Hammer attack
When he entered a Surry Hills tobacco shop on Elizabeth St at about 10.55pm on October 11, his final chance at freedom flew out the window.
The 24-year-old walked into the TSG Tobacconist and feigned interest in purchasing a mobile phone before running off with the $200 grey iPhone after a store worker handed it over to him.
After 10 minutes he returned armed with a 30cm hammer and punched a male employee in the face, causing him to suffer minor head injuries.
He ran from the store after dropping the hammer before returning and demanding it be given back to him.
After another scuffle he left again as the workers called the police, who found Dean stumbling along nearby Holt St where he became "aggressive and agitated".
Magistrate Viney said it was "a matter of good luck more than good planning" that no one was hurt by the hammer.
Dean has remained in custody and bail refused since October 12.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting police, affray, assault with intent to rob, being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, two counts of recklessly damaging property and shoplifting on Tuesday.
Police withdrew a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of common assault.
Final bid for rehab
Rowe fought for Dean to be allowed to leave jail and enter a residential rehabilitation facility, requesting the sentence be adjourned and he instead be granted bail.
Dean appeared at court via AVL from John Morony Correctional Centre in Sydney's northwest, where he wore his prison greens as he remained silent for the entire hearing.
Rowe said much of Dean's offending was "spontaneous" and his behaviour was resulting from his "long-standing addiction to drugs", which he started taking at a young age.
"The impulsivity of his conduct … there was no real planning, he would have had a significantly limited state of mind from his addiction issues," he told the court.
The court heard Dean suffered from PTSD as a result of abuse throughout his schooling, significant pressures from being a child actor and having an "unusual experience as a child".
Rowe said his client showcases "great ability" which was proven in his dedication to work at such a young age.
"But mental health is such a significant factor and he has limited criminal history," Rowe said.
"He wasn't involved in a planned or organised criminal group, it was spontaneous from his drug addiction … but he needs to address the mental health and addiction issues."
Magistrate Alison Viney accepted Dean had a "significant drug and alcohol problem" which led to the violent offending.
The court heard Dean had been given the opportunity to enter into rehab centres from past court appearances but failed to stick to it.
Dean had "well-documented mental health issues" including being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as well as a major depressive disorder.
"Where the court has provided opportunities in the past he has not only relapsed but committed further serious offences," Magistrate Viney said.
Another six months in prison
The request to grant bail to undergo rehabilitation was refused, with the magistrate saying the protection of the community was the court's top priority.
Magistrate Viney described Dean as an "intelligent" young man who could become a contributing member of the community if he decided to get help for his drug issues.
"But that is in his hands," she said.
Dean was handed an aggregate sentence of 19 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 11 months.
Magistrate Viney backdated the sentence to begin on July 11, 2021, due to time already served.
He will be eligible for release on June 10.
"I sincerely hope once you are released you will maintain your desire to address your long-term drug issues," she said.
For the lesser offences Ms Dean fined Dean $1,000 and placed him on a community correction order that he be of good behaviour for 12 months while accepting supervision in overcoming his addictions.
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