A Nyngan man has been given a 14-month suspended jail sentence after being found guilty of breaching an apprehended violence order late last month.
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The 20-year-old appeared in Nyngan Local Court on Thursday, for assault and domestic violence against his ex-partner.
He had been held in custody from July 28 up to the sentencing on Thursday.
His ex-partner, a 29-year-old Nyngan woman, was a witness to the case and her original statement was played via video recording to the court.
In the statement the woman claimed there had been three separate occasions when the defendant was physically violent towards her, broke her phone and threatened her.
In the video she showed police officers bruises and a graze from the assaults.
“He just grabs me around all the time, he did not talk to me nice,” she said.
The victim called the police on July 28 this year.
Under cross examination, the victim was asked if she invented or exaggerated the incidents as she was upset the offender had broken up with her.
She denied those claims.
The defendant chose not to take the stand at his trial, but his recorded statement made to Nyngan police was played for Magistrate Patrick Stewart instead.
He said he did not assault the victim and said he never intentionally hurt her.
The offender said he did try and stop her walking away from him during an altercation, which could have caused the bruising. He also attended her house during another altercation to pick up a power charger.
“I know you’re not meant to hit a woman but am I meant to let her punch me?” he said in his interview with the police.
At the time of the altercations, which occurred in late July, an apprehended violence order (AVO) was in place, and the man admitted to breaching the order.
Magistrate Stewart found the man guilty, saying he could not believe his story.
“His version changed, demonstrating he will lie,” he said.
“I do not accept he was acting in self-defence, I do not believe it was a response to him being in danger. He is without any doubt guilty of that offence.”
The defendant had a children’s court record and a violence-related crime in 2014.
His solicitor said the man found his 29 days in custody a sobering experience and wishes to start fresh upon his release.
