The ex-partner of former prime minister Julia Gillard will admit to a charge of sexual assault but may avoid being found guilty.
On Thursday, Timothy Raymond Mathieson, 66, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court via video conference from his attorney’s office.
There were initially three charges against Mathieson, the court was informed.
He was seated behind his attorney Brad Penno, who informed the court that Mathieson would enter a plea of guilty to one count of sexual assault.
The remaining two charges will be dropped by the prosecution.
Penno requested that Mathieson be evaluated for a diversion, which would spare him from prosecution and remove the case from the legal system.
In order to determine whether a diversion would be suitable, the prosecution requested two weeks.
Mathieson will make another appearance in court on August 31.
For more than ten years, Mathieson and Gillard were together, but they are no more.
Before he moved into a house, the two had a chance encounter while he was working as a hairdresser.
Gillard revealed to the Adelaide Advertiser in March 2022 that they had split up some 18 months previously.
Throughout her three-year tenure as prime minister, the pair resided together at The Lodge and Kirribilli House.
He was referred to as the “first bloke” in slang, a play on the term “first lady” that is used to refer to the wives of US presidents.
According to a representative for Julia Gillard, she won’t be commenting on the subject.
