Malcolm Kevin O’Neil bailed on domestic violence charges despite being wanted in NSW

A man with a 21 year criminal history who allegedly bashed his partner while she held their child at the scene of a road crash has been released on bail.

A wanted domestic abuser who allegedly punched, choked and rendered his partner unable to breath or scream for help while she held their one-year-old baby, has been granted bail.

Malcolm Kevin O’Neil, 53, has been in and out of the New South Wales prison system for 21 years with two active warrants in that state for domestic violence, the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court heard.

O’Neil is charged with one count of strangulation and one count of aggravated assault in relation to a September 3 attack and made a bid for bail on Tuesday.

He is also accused of a number of traffic offences including drive under disqualification, drive with prescribed alcohol with a child under 16 and aggravated drive with due care.

Defence lawyer Lamorna Alexander asked Magistrate Koula Kossiavelo to grant bail as O’Neil was unable to access his schizophrenia medication in custody an on release would live 1000km from his alleged victim.

While the court heard no medical records has been found in South Australia, Ms Alexander submitted the NSW resident was diagnosed 20 years ago.

The court previously heard O’Neil was arrested after an argument at the Limestone Coast Caravan Park allegedly led to him to get behind the wheel in search of more booze before crashing on the Jubilee Hwy where be bashed his partner of 20 years.

A man faced the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court for allegedly bashing his partner of 20 years. Picture: Tait Schmaal

A police prosecutor alleged the accused attacked the woman following the crash and she “instantly saw stars” following the blows to her head.

“The victim states she got out of her car and checked on their son,” they said.

“She got in the front passenger seat with the child and the accused began to punch her to the right side of the face.

“She instantly saw stars … the accused then got out of the car, walked over to the passenger seat and grabbed the victim around the throat with both hands.

“She could feel the pressure on her throat and she could not breathe or scream.”

Prosecution opposed all forms of bail with Magistrate Kossiavelos previously telling the court she was hesitant to release him.

“The fact that the SA Health doesn’t even address that he’s got schizophrenia, when he has been treated for that for the last 20 years is of a concern,” she said.

Bail was granted with O’Neil to reappear in December.