A Warrnambool man who held a knife to a woman’s chest and hit her in the head with a candle was lucky to avoid jail.
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David Anton, 41, of Baileyana Drive, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to intentionally causing injury and making threats to kill.
Magistrate Noreen Toohey said Anton’s offending attracted an immediate jail sentence. But lawyer Xavier Farrelly said Anton had no relevant priors and had struggled with alcohol and drug addiction following a serious car accident.
Anton appeared in court in December but was escorted out of the room as he was heavily drug-affected.
Mr Farrelly said on that occasion his client was anxious about his court appearance and had taken prescription medication to calm down.
Ms Toohey said the man needed help.
“This is really serious offending,” she said. “If he ever behaves in this way again he will go to jail.”
On November 5, the victim attended Anton’s home about 10pm. A heated argument commenced after Anton accused her of sleeping with another man.
He made threats to kill the victim before grabbing her by the hair and dragging her from the bedroom into the lounge room.
He then held a knife to her chest, demanding she tell him who the other man was. She suffered a small cut to her chest.
Anton then picked up a large purple candle and used it to punch the victim to the left side of the head, causing a lump.
The victim fled Anton’s house and a family member called the police.
Anton was arrested at his home at 12.45am.
He told police he threw the candle at a wall and it ricocheted into the victim’s head.
Anton was placed on a two-year community corrections order with conditions he do 100 hours of community work and drug, alcohol and mental health treatment.
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