A BENDIGO man allegedly bit his partner, held her down, and verbally abused her during a scuffle on the side of McIvor Highway, a court has heard.
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The 33-year-old man appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Tuesday after he was charged with intentionally causing injury and breaching a family violence intervention order.
The court heard on August 21 this year, the man's partner picked him up from a Bendigo address so they could drive towards Kilmore.
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Police say the man had been drinking throughout the day and was continuing to drink alcohol as he sat in the front passenger seat. There were also three children seated in the car.
Police alleged a verbal argument broke out between the pair as they were driving along the McIvor Highway, with the man calling the woman a "dumb c***".
The court heard the woman pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and told the man to exit the car.
He refused but after he calmed down, the woman continued driving.
Police alleged the man became abusive again and threw a can of alcohol onto the dashboard.
The woman pulled the car over again, took the keys out of the ignition, and exited the car.
The man allegedly tried to take the keys from the woman, with the pair struggling on the ground for the keys.
Police alleged the man held the woman down and bit her on her right breast during the altercation.
The court heard the man managed to grab the keys, enter the vehicle, and drive off with the children inside.
The man allegedly drove back some time later, yelling at the woman to get in the car, but she refused.
Some witnesses called 000 and police arrived on scene a short time later. The woman was taken to hospital for her injuries, which included grazes on her arms and a bite mark on her chest.
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Police located the man driving through Heathcote with the children in the car. He underwent a preliminary breath test, which showed a blood alcohol reading of 0.047.
The court heard the man made admissions during his record of police interview, but denied biting the woman.
He told police he drove the children away from the scene because he did not want them to see the family violence.
Defence lawyer Harry Lewis told the court the intentionally causing injury charge was in dispute because the man denied biting the woman and pinning her to the ground.
Mr Lewis said the prosecution was yet to establish the particulars of the injury, with the defence yet to be provided with the medical evidence.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Abdoullah Fakhouri said the grazes on the woman's arms and the bite mark would constitute an injury.
Magistrate Sharon McRae said it would not be difficult for the prosecution to prove the woman did sustain an injury.
Ms McRae said she would give the defence time to receive further medical material.
But she told Mr Lewis that given his client was willing to plead guilty to the vast majority of the allegations, it could be detrimental to drag the case out further.
"Your client takes a big gamble if it goes to a contested hearing," the magistrate said. "He could lose his discount on sentence. It could backfire for your client."
The case was adjourned to next week and the 33-year-old man was remanded in custody.
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