By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Dandenong man has been accused of family violence against two sisters who have each been his partner at separate times.
The three parties all live under the same roof, so the accused could help his former partner with their kids, police informant Acting Sergeant Craig Milne told a court.
Both sisters were protected by intervention orders against the man – described by the judge as a “strong” and “powerful” individual.
In one rage, the man allegedly crushed the phone of his former partner in his hand.
She had tried to phone triple-zero. He squeezed the phone until the screen “snapped”, the bail hearing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard.
The phone was rendered unusable.
The man told police that the victim had thrown the phone at his head, and then he’d held the victim down to calm her.
But Act Sgt Milne told the court that the phone was “bent in half” and not consistent with the man’s version of events.
“I believe if he’s bailed, the victim would be in serious danger from the accused’s violent behaviour.”
In court, the man – through his lawyer – claimed the complainant had broken the phone by leaving it in a folding chair.
On 18 August, the man allegedly assaulted the second victim – and his current partner – in the car park of Keysborough Hotel after an alcohol-fuelled dispute at a pool table.
He held her against a fence, then put her in a headlock, Act Sgt Milne said.
The man’s defence lawyer denied the allegations of violence, though conceded the man was alcoholic drinking an “unbelievable” 18 mixed drinks on one occasion.
In the past, the man had been found guilty of assaulting the former partner and intentionally injuring his current partner.
Act Sgt Milne said the accused, currently on a community corrections order, had failed to appear on bail six times in the past five years.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted the man also failed to appear at a judicial monitoring court hearing in April.
“He’s at incredibly high risk of re-offending.”
Mr Vandersteen said drinking seemed to be at the core of the man’s violent behaviour.
He advised the man to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or risk going back into custody.
“I find you an easy person to deal with … but God you drink a lot.
“You’re a very big person, a very powerful individual. If you turn towards people and become violent, it becomes very difficult for people to deal with.”
The man was jailed for 30 days – which had already been served in remand.
He was also put on a 12-month treatment-only community corrections order, excluding him from licensed premises.
He moved out of the house as part of a varied intervention order, and was ordered to pay $400 to replace the broken phone.
