Callum Fairleigh Receives First Coercive Control Conviction in NSW
Samantha met Callum Fairleigh in 2018. They began living together in Sydney's eastern suburbs six weeks later.
Samantha stated that Fairleigh began to assert control over her, and his behavior subsequently changed.
The Onset of Controlling Behaviour
Samantha reported that Fairleigh exhibited jealous and possessive behavior. She stated he instructed her to remove male friends from social media and frequently contacted her when she was not with him. A lack of immediate response would, according to Samantha, lead to an increase in his communications and questions regarding her activities and companions.
Escalation During Pregnancy
In 2019, Samantha became pregnant, at which point she reported an escalation of the abusive behavior. Fairleigh reportedly initiated conflicts upon returning home after drinking and drug use, with arguments often extending into the early morning.
These disputes sometimes involved Fairleigh damaging property or physically pushing Samantha. On one occasion, she reported that he attempted to strangle her.
Reporting and Legal Action
After approximately six years, Samantha reported the incidents to police, providing a statement to a detective. Samantha reported that the detective identified her experiences as coercive control. Coercive control was criminalized in New South Wales in 2024.
Historic Conviction Under New Laws
Last month, Callum Fairleigh received the first conviction under these new laws.
Fairleigh was sentenced to two years in prison, with a non-parole period of 15 months. Samantha described the legal outcome as validating, noting previous dismissals of her experiences.