Mick Jennings
Michael Jennings (2016; 2017)
Kristian Schmid
Episodes: 6416; 6451–6453; 6582–6588; 6750–6787
Date of Birth: 12th August 1970
Parents: Pete McFarlane and Irene Roberts
Step Parents: Edwina McFarlane; Murdoch Roberts (former, deceased)
Siblings: Nathan, Finlay & Damian Roberts (all half-siblings)
Children: Luc Patterson
Occupation: Miner
After learning of the sexual abuse that Olivia endured, Irene revealed that she too had been molested at 14 years of age by her uncle Pete. Not long later, she realised that she was pregnant. After she began to show, she was sent to a home for unwed mothers where she began to make a blanket that she was going to give the child. Once she gave birth, the child was taken off her and she returned home to her parents. Unable to pass the blanket on, she put it in a box, where it stayed until 2015. After cutting herself on a smashed vodka bottle, Irene was given the blanket by Leah to curb the bleeding. She lashed out at Leah, but later revealed the ordeal she had been through as a teenager. With the truth out in the open, Irene decided to look for her child. After posting on various forums, she was contacted by a lady named Claire, who turned out not to be her daughter.
A few weeks passed and Mick Jennings arrived at Irene’s house. He introduced himself as Nick Harrington, Chris’ uncle who was just stopping on his way through to say hi. After she invited him in, he explained that he hadn’t seen Chris since he was a child and asked to see a photograph. Irene rushed off to find an album and Mick took Irene’s phone. He texted Chris, as Irene, telling him that she needed to go to the city to see Fin. Later, whilst looking through the photo album, Mick came across a photograph of Fin and told Irene that it must’ve been hard being a surrogate for her. When Irene questioned how he knew about Fin and the surrogacy, he said that Chris told him.
Irene explained to Mick that she had to get to the fundraiser, otherwise she would miss it altogether, but as she tried to rush off, a scuffle ensued. Mick overpowered Irene and informed her that she was never going to leave him again. For the next six weeks, Mick sent emails and texts from Irene’s phone to Leah, Chris and Olivia, giving them the false impression that she had reconnected with him. However, one day he sent Olivia a video of Irene tied up and begging for help, calling Chris and Olivia to action.
It was revealed that Mick had taken Irene hostage and had been holding her in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. He was seen in the Diner, looking at a photo of Olivia, as she discussed how worried she was about Irene. Later, he pulled his car up next to Olivia and told her that if she wanted to see Irene again, she would get in the car. She obliged but decided to put her phone under the seat and run off. Mick rushed back to the abandoned house but discovered Olivia’s phone. He forced Irene to walk through the bush, informing her that he was going to leave her alone and miserable, just like she did him.
Irene assured Mick that she wanted to help him and when he let his guard down, she clobbered him over the head with a rock. He was later found by police and taken to Northern Districts Hospital. Irene learnt that Mick was on the run from the law and was avoiding a string of charges including GVB and sexual assault. Kat confirmed to Irene that Mick was the child that she gave up for adoption. It was later revealed that Mick was also the man who raped Billie Ashford, and hence the father of her child. He was eventually moved from the hospital to a psychiatric facility.
Seven months later, Mick turned up on Irene’s doorstep and asked Irene for forgiveness, telling her that he was better now. When the phone rang, he refused to let Irene pick it up and she agreed to them having a talk, but before they got a chance, Brody Morgan interrupted, and Mick ran off. A couple of days later, Mick approached Irene on Flat Beach and tried to talk to her again. She told him that he needed to get help, to stay away from her and to stop calling her ‘Mum’. He retreated when her screaming began to catch the attention of passers-by.
Whilst walking along Flat Beach, Kat saw him and approached him. He attempted to run, but she tased and arrested him for breaching an AVO and resisting an officer. He was taken to the hospital for a check-up, but in the process of being hand-cuffed afterwards, he head-butted Constable Murray, knocking him unconscious and rushed off to confront Billie. After receiving confirmation that he was the father of the baby, Billie’s screams resulted in him taking off. When VJ arrived to a hyperventilating Billie, they learnt that Mick has kidnapped Luc from the hospital nursery.
After it came to light that Mick had taken Luc, Alf and Ash headed out to look for her. Mick called Irene from inside a stolen car and informed her that Luc is with her father. She told him that she would do whatever he wanted, if he gave the baby back. He organised to meet up with Irene and apologised for everything he had done. Irene accepted the apology and reciprocated the sentiment. He gave Luc back to Irene, wishing her a better life than he had. Afterwards, he said goodbye to his mother and gave himself up to the police.
After some months in Northern Districts Psychiatric Facility, Mick attempted to contact Irene. When he called, Ash picked up. Furious, he pretended to be Damian in order to visit Mick at the facility. When Mick realised Ash’s true identity, he apologised for what he did to Billie, but Ash attacked him. Irene arrived in time to see this and spoke to Mick who asked for her help. She rejected him, but after being released, he pleaded with Irene once more for support, to no avail. After his release, Irene reluctantly visited Mick at the halfway house he was staying at and learnt he had been bashed. Realising he was in danger, Irene put him up in the motel.
He ran into Maggie Astoni who had a flat tyre and the pair struck up conversation as he helped her change it. She invited him back to the farm, but when Olivia saw him, she revealed his identity and Ben physically removed him from the house. After realising the hurt he was causing, Irene asked Mick to leave and Alf organised him a job in the mines. However, after Irene collapsed while on a walk with Luc, Mick took the baby. Ash and VJ frantically searched for her. While Ash discovered a photo of Luc in Mick’s motel room, VJ found Mick with her at Irene’s house. When Ash arrived, Mick ran away. He visited Irene in hospital, before being kidnapped by Ash at the motel. As night fell, Ash drove out of town with Mick bound and gagged in the boot.
Mick was dumped in the bush by Ash and left to fend for himself. After falling down a cliff, he was rescued by Hunter, Brody, and Mason who were on a bush walk. Once admitted to hospital, he explained the ordeal to Irene and told her that Ash shouldn’t be looking after his daughter. He broke into Irene’s house in order to gain a DNA sample from Luc and sent his sample off with hers for testing. After VJ received a call from the testing company, he, Leah, and Irene rushed over to the motel, where he revealed he was going for custody of Luc.
As the battle for Luc ramped up, Mick ran out of his medication. Slowly slipping back into his psychosis, he accosted Ziggy, asking for her help. She called the police, and he was taken in for questioning, but later released. Realising that Mick is serious about his claim over Luc, Ash decided to flee the country with her. When Mick began to suspect something was going on, he confronted Irene, who assured him that there was no plan. Later that day, Ash called a meeting with Leah, Alf, VJ, and Irene. He revealed that Kat was pregnant with his child and in turn, he couldn’t leave the Bay. This gathering was interrupted by Mick who explained he had filed all the paperwork and the custody proceedings were going to begin immediately. After this, VJ announced he was going to leave with Luc. With Mick distracted by Irene, VJ and Luc boarded a seaplane, headed for Cyprus.
The next day, Mick was granted an injunction to keep Luc in the Bay. He learnt from Ash that VJ had already left and that it was useless. With Luc gone, Mick contemplated suicide. Irene found him with pills, and he explained that Luc was his reason to start a new life. After talking to Alf, Mick decided to accept a mining job in Western Australia to begin his next chapter. Before leaving, Mick apologised to Ash for all the damage and hurt he caused for him and Billie and asked him to look after Irene. The next day, he left with Irene accompanying him to help him settle in.
Six months later, Mick had a fall in the mines and broke his arm. Irene decided to head over to help him get back on his feet. When she returned after five weeks, she revealed that he was on the mend and would be heading back to work in a few weeks’ time.