By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Keysborough man has lifted and face-planted his ex-partner into a public toilet cubicle floor in breach of an intervention order, a court has heard.
About 11am on 5 January, the partner had confronted the 32-year-old self-employed man watching her as her two children played in the Chelsea park.
As she walked away, the man grabbed her arm and her handbag, police told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 30 January.
Keen to shield her children from the situation, she walked with him into the female toilets as a friend supervised the children.
In the cubicle, the man grabbed her waist and leg from behind, lifted her and threw her to the ground.
She landed on her nose and face.
At the time, the man was in breach of a two-month-old intervention order barring any contact with the victim or going near the home.
The man told police he’d disregarded the intervention order many times after being “begged” by the ex-partner that the children needed him.
After a later breach of the order, he told police he’d never even left the house since being banned.
“It’s my property. It’s my house,” he said.
He denied he intended to injure his ex-partner who told police he’d been violent throughout their six-year relationship.
She had taken out another intervention order against him several years ago, the court heard.
On 9 January, police were called to an argument at their house in which she feared he’d used ice and would hurt her.
The man’s lawyer said the accused was the sole financial support for the family and had no drug, alcohol or mental health issues.
“Well, he hasn’t supported them well by committing family violence,” magistrate Jack Vandersteen retorted.
“They would prefer not to have the money than be subject to this.”
Mr Vandersteen said the man’s five days in custody since his arrest would have given him some time to think but would be significantly increased if he breached the order again.
“You can see your children but only in circumstances where they’re safe and not exposed to family violence.”
The man was convicted and put on a 12-month supervised community corrections order, taking in account of his remand time.
The order included judicial monitoring and drug and mental health treatment.
