A KANGAROO FLAT man who allegedly bit his former partner around the head during a roadside scuffle has appeared in court charged with recklessly cause injury
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The Bendigo Magistrates Court heard the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was in breach of an existing intervention order when he attended the suburban Bendigo address in June this year.
The court was told the male offender had attended the premise at the woman's invitation.
The court heard the man has admitted to attending the victim's property, and that both he and the woman were intoxicated at the time of the June incident, having consumed about 12 drinks each.
In a statement to police, the woman said had been involved in an argument with her former partner, who she claimed told her she was not earning enough money.
The police summary read to court claims the woman then fled the property and ran outside and across the road. The man followed her, and grabbed at her clothing, causing them both to fall to the road.
The victim's children came to her aid after the roadside scuffle on June 11. The man then took the woman's car keys and left the premises.
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Police were called and attended the property, before attending another address in Kangaroo Flat where the accused was arrested and taken into custody.
The court heard that when interviewed by police about the incident, the man said "next time I should just let her get hit by a car."
He told police his actions were motivated by a desire to stop the woman being struck by a passing vehicle.
The victim has declined to provide a victim impact statement to the court, and instead was seeking an outcome.
The court heard the man has prior convictions dating back to 2020 when he spent approximately 12 months in prison for similar offending regarding an incident involving the same victim.
The court heard the charge of recklessly cause injury had arisen from the man's alleged actions of dragging the woman from the roadway after he followed her outside.
The court heard the man had struggled during his education, and had left home at the age of 15. He had cared for his terminally ill mother prior to her death in 2013.
"This had a profound impact upon him."
The man has no relationship with his father, who he says blames him for his wife's passing.
A letter of support from the man's employer was tended to the court, confirming the man to be a hard worker and someone the employer would look to re-employ as a truck driver once any custodial sentence has been completed.
A psychologist's report submitted to the court describes the man as having symptoms of depression and PTSD, and adds he has prospects for rehabilitation.
Magistrate Trieu Huynh cited the man's poor record and said 'deterrence looms large', noting there was only a short period of time that had passed between two breaches of intervention orders.
He noted the man's previous term of imprisonment for offending of a similar nature as a 'significant sentence for tis jurisdiction.'
Magistrate Huynh told the man he would be assessed for a CCO and adjourned the matter until Friday, August 19.
He asked that the police summary regarding the earlier April 2020 matter be provided to the defendant's lawyers before the ongoing case returns to court.
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