Bendigo drug trafficker asks for lighter sentence after violent family violence attack

The lawyer of the 28-year-old offender told Judge Mark Dean his client witnessed violent family violence as a child so he resorted to the same behaviour that was normalised by his father.

The submissions were made during a County Court plea hearing on Monday afternoon. The 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to charges including conduct endangering life and trafficking methamphetamine.

The charges stemmed from an incident on February 29 last year.

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The court heard the man went to the woman's East Bendigo property and demanded that he be let inside.

The 28-year-old verbally abused the woman about cheating on him, before pointing a sawn-off firearm in her face and telling her he would "f*** her life".

He then drove the woman to his property in Marong where he physically assaulted her.

The man placed his hands around her neck and, when she tried to fight him off, he grabbed her in a headlock and said he would strangle and kill her.

The 28-year-old also repeatedly punched the woman and lit the ends of her hair on fire with a butane lighter.

The man eventually brought the woman back to the East Bendigo property, but told her if she alerted the police to the assault, he would hurt her.

The woman reported the incident to officers on March 12 and police arrested the man at his Marong property on April 7.

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During the search warrant, officers found about 111.72 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of about $50,000.

Police also found 10.7 grams of MDMA, 4.7 grams of heroin, a loaded sawn-off rifle, ammunition, and $21,400 in cash.

Defence counsel William Barker told the court the man's moral culpability should be moderated as a result of the trauma he experienced as a child.

Mr Barker said the man was abused by his father and foster carers, which led to his drug abuse issues.

The defence counsel said while it was conceded the offending warranted a significant jail term, the sentence should still be somewhat reduced.

Judge Dean said the assault was "shocking" and clearly an "act of ultimate control" over the woman.

The judge said he would take into account the man's personal circumstances, but he was still considering how much it should reduce sentence.

Judge Dean will hand down his sentence on Friday. The 28-year-old man was remanded in custody until his next County Court appearance.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, the Centre for Non-Violence is available on 1800 884 292. Safe Steps is a 24-hour statewide crisis line, available on 1800 015 188.

If you or someone else is in danger, call 000.

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