By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A SPRINGVALE South man has been convicted and fined $2500 after ripping the bedcovers off his naked wife and punching her in front of his adult son.
A court was told on Monday 6 July that after protracted marital problems, the wife had accused her husband of cheating on her late on 16 May.
After their 19-year-old son arrived in the bedroom, the accused flung back the bedsheets exposing his wife.
As she got up to put on pyjamas, she was punched to the right side of her face by the accused, police prosecutor Senior Constable Joshua Diemar said.
The man later told police he pushed his wife with an open hand to “get her away”, Sen Const Diemar said.
The man pleaded guilty to assault and persistently breaching the subsequent intervention order protecting his wife by making 119 calls to her between 30 May and 3 June.
Up to 73 calls were made in one day; none were threatening, the court was told.
He also sent multiple texts saying how sorry he was and how he missed the victim.
The accused was arrested after returning to the home on 5 July – also in breach of the order.
His defence lawyer told the court that his client worked seven days a week to support his family but was “bedevilled by this persistent accusation by his wife that he’s unfaithful to her”.
“He means her no harm,” his lawyer said.
Dandenong magistrate Barry Schultz condemned the man for “humiliating” his wife of 20 years but was willing to accept that his actions were out of character.
He took into account that the majority of the non-threatening contacts were to “patch up the relationship” though their persistence could indicate that the husband had a controlling nature and wanted to psychologically disturb the victim.
Mr Schultz said the accused – who had no relevant prior convictions – regarded the wife’s “unwarranted and persistent accusation” of unfaithfulness as a “thorn in his side”.
The man received a “significant” fine as a general and specific deterrence.
