John Dunn appeared on remand in the County Court sitting at Ballarat yesterday where the court heard he had contacted his partner almost 200 times in breach of family violence intervention orders. 

Dunn’s defence attorney claimed Dunn had a number of animals including parrots at the house where the couple were living and once the intervention order was in place, he could not attend to them.

The exotic parrots were allegedly worth up to $10,000 and Dunn wanted an arrangement made between himself and his partner to facilitate purchasing food for the animals. 

The police prosecutor said Dunn had breached the intervention order with more than 190 calls and text messages between August 9 and September 5.

The police prosecutor told the court Dunn and his partner, who has a severe intellectual disability, had been in a relationship for two years when the sister of the woman made a report to police saying she was concerned for her sister’s welfare.

On Friday, August 4, police attended the house the couple shared and found the woman had bruising on her face and told police Dunn had hit her for not knowing how to cook dinner.

The court also heard the woman was covered in lice and lice eggs and there was a strong smell in the house and on her person. 

Upon searching their Wendouree house, police found two sets of Nun Chucks, a large machete, and they seized a chainsaw believed to be proceeds of crime. 

A no-contact family violence intervention order was placed against Dunn the following Tuesday, August 8.   

“Clearly these are serious charges; persistent breaches of an intervention order,” Judge McInerney said.

“What aggravates this is...this is your third appearance for breaching an order.” 

Dunn was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison with a non-parole period of 12 months.