A VIOLENT man who bit, punched and pushed his partner has been sentenced to a year in jail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 25-year-old Guyra resident pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Armidale Local Court on Monday, where Magistrate Michael Holmes said he did not have a good record.
“You see it [domestic violence] in the papers on a regular basis,” Magistrate Holmes said.
“Domestic violence is a real plague on the community and this was a really violent act on behalf of your client.”
Have a look at these, see the photographs, you should be ashamed of the injuries you sustained to the victim.
- Magistrate Michael Holmes
The Armidale Express has chosen not to identify the man, to protect the victim's identity.
Defence solicitor Nick Forrest argued that it was his client’s first domestic violence offence, but, Magistrate Michael Holmes questioned the significance given the community’s zero tolerance toward DV.
Police evidence showed photos of the injuries to the victim and damage to the fence after she was pushed into it and Magistrate Holmes held each picture up to the accused.
“Have a look at these, see the photographs, you should be ashamed of the injuries you sustained to the victim,” he said.
“That’s your teeth marks, you pushed her up against the fence, that’s the damage to the fence – it’s a particularly nasty case.
“Newspapers are full of what happens as a result of DV and young women are killed.”
The man lashed out at his partner after consuming alcohol, the court heard.
The victim was bitten on the forehead causing a 1cm laceration, pushed against a fence and punched in the face causing a lump under her left eye.
Magistrate Holmes said a 12 month prison sentence, six months non-parole, was the only way to send a message.
“This type of behaviour cannot be condoned, your partner has now left you and I would hate to see her come back to you to be subject to further abuse,” he said.