By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A NARRE Warren man who attacked and threatened to kill his ex-partner after luring her to his home’s back shed has been put on a community corrections order.
The 23-year-old man was subject to an intervention order at the time, preventing him from contacting or visiting his younger former girlfriend of two years, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was told on Monday.
On the night of 9 August, she complied with the man’s request to speak with her in a shed behind the house that night after he texted he would otherwise kill himself.
At some point, she fled and was struck on the shoulder by a rock thrown by the man, police prosecutor Sen Const Liz Millear told the court.
She continued running down the street until she fell to the ground with breathing difficulties.
Feeling afraid of another male in the vicinity, the victim replied to the accused’s continuing texts and pleaded for his help.
When the accused arrived, he told her: “If you make a sound, I’ll make sure you don’t get out of this.”
She was “jabbed” to the ribs by the accused, who then said: “You are a worthless piece of s*** and you should die.”
The accused kicked her leg, forcing her to fall to the ground, when the accused’s mother arrived.
“Lucky my mother is here,” the accused said. He then smiled at his mother and jumped on the victim’s leg, Sen Const Millear said.
The victim was taken to Dandenong Hospital for observation; the accused remained in police custody until his court hearing the next day.
Sen Const Millear said the man in a police interview made full admissions of breaching the intervention order but denied the assault charges.
He claimed to police he tripped the victim to stop her running into traffic to kill herself.
The man’s lawyer said being in police custody for the first time had been a “confronting” and “frightening” experience for the accused.
“The intervention order came in context of a turbulent relationship. Both people are not accepting the relationship is over since the court order (on 18 June).”
The accused had undiagnosed mental health issues according to his mother, the lawyer said.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen asked the lawyer why the accused was “blaming the victim” and “not concentrating on complying” with the intervention order.
“I don’t care what happens on the other side of the coin. It’s about your behaviour and what you need to do to comply.
“You’re not in primary school anymore.”
Mr Vandersteen said the man was not a “hard person” who would be “walked over” by inmates if he was re-admitted to a remand centre.
On pleading guilty, the man was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month treatment-only community corrections order with supervision and behavioural programs.
Mr Vandersteen said he took into account the man’s age, a recent prior criminal damage offence and the support of his mother.
