Broken Fathers Podcast
The Broken Fathers Podcast, founded by Australian veteran Jared "Purcy" Purcell, provides a platform for fathers to share their struggles, expose flaws in Australia’s outdated Family Court system, and advocate for change.
Purcy decided to create a podcast to establish a platform where fathers can feel comfortable to share there horrific experiences about the outdated Family Court system of Australia. He intends to lay bare the twisted system, by sharing the experiences of other broken fathers; to heal, to learn, and to raise awareness to end this injustice against men.
Jared’s a proud father, who has been completely broken by his experiences with the outdated Family Court system.
Good and loving fathers should never have to fight strangers in court, for the basic right to be a part of, and parent their own children.
Broken Fathers Podcast
Episode 25 - Brentin Mumford - Mediation is a Waste of Time
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Episode 25
Guest - Brentin Mumford
On this week’s episode, I am joined by Brentin Mumford, a 38-year-old father of three. Originally from Lismore, New South Wales, but now resides on the Gold Coast.
He is a retired mixed martial artist who currently focuses his time and energy on coaching and building Fighting Fathers out of CMBT Fight gym in Burleigh. After attempting mediation in 2023, the challenges he faced throughout that process inspired him to establish the organization fighting fathers. His goal is to provide essential support to other men as they navigate the complexities of the system.
Brentin being the Eldest of 5, grew up in a small country town known as Lismore. He got into ice hockey at a young age. In 2003 when he turned 16 he left go to to Edmonton, Alberta Canada for hockey. He returned to Australia 2 years later and rekindled with his ex from high school and fell pregnant and before he knew it, he was a kid raising a kid. They lived at Brentin’s in-laws until they got stable which saw Brentin have his daughter at the age of 27.
In 2008, Brentin was involved in a fatal car accident involving an elderly man. This event profoundly impacted his mental health, leading him to seek professional help. However, he found the experience unproductive, describing the attempt to heal as trying to fix a broken mirror that will always remain cracked.
Brentin’s personal life has also seen significant upheaval. Eight years after the birth of his son, he and his partner had a daughter. Despite hopes that a second child might reignite the relationship, they separated when she was six months old but maintained a healthy co-parenting relationship to which they still have today, 11yrs later.
He later entered a new relationship and had another child. When this relationship ended, his ex-partner began creating obstacles for him to see his son, making it difficult for them to bond. This situation left him with no choice but to initiate mediation. While early private discussions seemed promising, the dynamic shifted significantly during the joint Zoom mediation session, where the mediator’s demeanor was entirely different from their previous one on one interactions.
During mediation, Brentin's PTSD and his use of medical marijuana to manage sleep-related night terrors following his car accident was brought up and used against him. The mediation agreement established six-week visitation blocks, with hours increasing in each subsequent block. There had been a request for Brentin to undergo a hair follicle test regularly. He knew that this test will return a positive result, as he continues to use prescribed medical cannabis to assist with his sleep.
In 2022, Brentin was living on the Gold Coast when a major flood destroyed his parents' home in Lismore. Unknown to him, a Domestic Violence Order (DVO) had been served to that flooded address. Because the police did not attempt to contact him via phone or social media, Brentin was unaware of the order until friends began sending him news links regarding a warrant for his arrest.
Confused and shocked, Brentin handed himself in. He was subsequently charged with intimidation. This experience highlighted the significant struggles and legal communication breakdowns within the system; Brentin recounts one specific day in court where everything that could go wrong did.
Brentin’s eldest son resided with him full time and he was advised to plead guilty and focus his energy on the two children currently in his care due to the unpredictability of the court system. Given Brentin's background as a professional MMA fighter, the barrister noted that the judge may view the circumstances more critically, and fighting the charges would likely prolong the process.