A County Court judge has said family violence will not be tolerated as he sentenced a former Ballarat man for a series of offences against his partner.
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The 42-year-old man, who The Courier cannot name as it would identify the victim, caused physical and emotional pain to his partner of eight years in Avoca and Colac in late 2018.
In October 2018, the man and the victim were staying in a caravan while working at the Colac Show when he turned up drunk after spending all of his wage.
After the victim said she had had enough, the man grabbed her arm hard. The pair left Colac and returned home to Avoca in early December.
While at the man's cousin's Sebastopol house at Christmas in 2018, the pair started arguing and the man grabbed the victim's throat and while doing so, struck her lip. He then grabbed her and pushed her backwards.
After the fight, the man's cousin asked him to leave and the pair drove back to Avoca.
The next morning at their home, the man pulled back the bed sheets while the victim was asleep and he hit the bed with a baseball bat, striking her arms. As she picked up her mobile phone, the man ripped it out of her hands, hurting her.
The victim attended the Avoca Police Station but it was closed so she phoned her mother. The man found the woman sitting at the back of the police station and when she said she had phoned her mother, he said he would kill the victim.
Because of the breach of trust, the vulnerability of the victim and the harm caused, family violence will not be tolerated.
- Judge Michael Cahill
The man had previously been in an abusive relationship with a different woman in New South Wales and was charged with domestic violence incidents occurring within the relationship. He is a long-time cannabis user.
On Friday, Judge Michael Cahill said the man's behaviour caused physical and emotional pain to his partner and she was terrified he would kill her.
The victim now experiences depression and anxiety and is scared to be in another relationship.
"Because of the breach of trust, the vulnerability of the victim and the harm caused, family violence will not be tolerated," Judge Cahill told the man.
The man pleaded guilty to seven charges, including recklessly casing injury, threatening to kill, criminal damage and unlawful assault.
He was sentenced to a two-year community correction order, with conviction. The order includes 200 hours of unpaid community work, drug and alcohol assessment and treatment, and offender risk reduction programs.
The man appeared at the Ballarat Law Courts where he was sentenced via a video link to the County Court of Victoria in Melbourne.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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