A Magistrate has called an alleged family violence incident 'traumatising' for a Ballarat mother, who allegedly had to flee after being threatened with a knife while breastfeeding.
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The 27-year-old man, who The Courier has decided not to name to protect the identity of the victim, appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Monday charged with threats to kill and unlawful assault with a weapon.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Steve Kent said at 11pm on April 14, police allege the Mt Clear man was at his home while alcohol and cocaine-affected.
As his wife was breastfeeding their baby, the couple fought about finances. The accused man returned to the room with a 45 centimetre knife and told the woman he was "going to kill you, going to cut your head off".
The accused man allegedly told the woman she couldn't take their kids away, and told her to put the baby on the ground and leave. The woman fled the house and flagged down a car on Geelong Road.
Defence lawyer Josh Cunningham said his client had "no intention to use the knife" on his wife or children, and struggled with drug issues.
Magistrate Barry Schultz said he couldn't "imagine a mother being placed in a more confronting and difficult situation".
"This is one of the most chilling examples of a threat to kill that has ever come before me," he said.
Magistrate Schultz said he would need a victim impact statement before he could indicate a sentence, but would consider a term of imprisonment, followed by a two year community corrections order. He said he expected the mother is "going to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder" following the alleged incident.
The 27-year-old will return to court on Tuesday.
