The 48-year-old, of Warrnambool, appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court last week on three charges of rape and charges of indecent assault, false imprisonment and recklessly causing injury.

Detective Senior Constable Andrew Raven said the man and his partner had been drinking white wine in the early hours of July 3 when an argument broke out over a telephone call made by the victim.

“The accused began arguing and grabbed the phone off the victim,” he said. “The accused hit the victim to the face multiple times.” 

Police then alleged the man raped the woman. 

The victim locked herself in a bathroom but was allegedly assaulted and raped again as she tried to flee the house.

During a police interview the man stated he had no memory of the incident. 

“The accused stated that he’d consumed six or seven glasses of white wine mixed with lemonade and had no recollection of what occurred. He had just woken up,” Detective Senior Constable Raven said.

He said the pair had been the subject of a large number of family violence and intervention orders. 

Police opposed bail, arguing the man’s record of breaking intervention orders made him an unacceptable risk to the victim.

“Police are concerned that he will commit offences while on bail and interfere with witnesses,” Detective Senior Constable Raven said.

Defence counsel Xavier Farrelly said the victim no longer wanted the charges to proceed.

Magistrate Peter Mellas noted there was enough evidence to proceed on the assault charges, citing the victim’s injuries seen by police on the night of the report. 

Detective Senior Constable Raven said the victim also refused forensic examination because she did not want the man to be jailed.

Court proceedings also had to be suspended after the accused made outbursts from the dock.

After a brief adjournment Mr Farrelly said his client had a stable address to return to if granted bail. 

However, Mr Mellas said he had no faith that the accused would comply with bail conditions, saying: “Given his previous history what faith can I have that he will comply?” 

Mr Mellas said the man’s relationship with the victim had been “marred by violence” and noted the couple had followed each other around Australia. 

“She won’t be able to follow him to jail,” he told Mr Farrelly.

The man was remanded in custody to reappear in court on August 27.