A MAN who assaulted his former partner and a stranger in Warrnambool, then breached a suspended jail sentence, has been imprisoned for three months.
Darren Wallace, 44, previously of Stephens Street, Warrnambool, pleaded guilty in December 2011 at the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to recklessly causing injury, assault and making threats to kill.
The first incident involved Wallace’s former wife on November 10, 2007. He grabbed her around the throat and forced her to the ground. The victim armed herself with a knife that she threw at Wallace, who then threatened to kill her before dragging her by her hair.
On January 13, 2011, Wallace was in Koroit Street, Warrnambool, at 1.10pm when he argued with a woman and kicked out at a man who was walking down the street with his son.
Magistrate Ian von Einem sentenced Wallace to three months in jail, which was suspended for 12 months.
The defendant was also placed on a six-month community corrections order to do 60 hours’ community work with conditions including alcohol, drugs and mental health treatment and to undertake programs to reduce reoffending.
This week Wallace appeared again in the Warrnambool court for failing to comply with the CCO, thereby breaching his suspended sentence.
Defence counsel Xavier Farrelly said yesterday Wallace had served a substantial jail sentence in 2003-04 and he had been working in South Australia until late last year.
He said his client’s girlfriend’s father was seriously ill and Wallace gave up his job in October to help support the family.
Mr Farrelly said Wallace made contact with police about Christmas last year and handed himself in to officers earlier this month.
Magistrate Kaye Robertson described yesterday’s hearing as a “cleaning-up exercise” and Wallace could have done little more to co-operate with police.
She restored the suspended sentence, resentenced Wallace for breaching the CCO and fined him, leading to a total effective sentence of three months in jail.