Graham Chevalier was jailed in Adelaide District Court for multiple domestic violence offences

A father-of-five who made his partner’s life “a nightmare” by breaking her arm and choking her until she was unconscious then pressured her to drop the charges.

A man who choked his partner until she lost consciousness then tried to persuade her to drop the charges, a court has heard.

Graham Edward Miles Chevalier, 33, was jailed in the Adelaide District Court last month for his horrific domestic violence assaults.

The court heard the victim was Chevalier’s partner who he had been in a relationship with for 16 years and has five children with.

Chevalier and the victim got into an argument on March 13, 2020 at Whyalla Stuart.

“You then decided to assault her and commenced punching her in the chest, causing a struggle as she tried to defend herself,” Judge Simon Stretton said during sentencing.

“She put her arm up to protect herself whereupon you struck her arm with your head, breaking her arm.”

Chevalier then slashed the victim with a pair of scissors.

“(The victim) was in a great deal of pain, however you refused to take her to hospital and indeed you effectively prevented her from doing so for several days,” Judge Stretton said.

Chevalier and the victim then went for a drive on March 22 2020.

“You decided to do some burnouts, lost control of your vehicle and drove it into a ditch,” Judge Stretton said.

“Somehow you decided to blame (the victim) for this and started abusing her verbally, at which she got out of the car and ran.”

Chevalier chased her and pulled her to the ground and struck her twice with a wooden stick.

“You then grabbed her by the neck of her shirt with both hands and dragged her onto your lap and began to choke her, choking her to unconsciousness,” Judge Stretton said.

The court heard Chevalier was arrested but started a “persistent campaign” to pressure the victim to drop the charges against him.

“You suggested to her that she should deny to the police that the offending happened at all,” Judge Stretton said.

“That conduct included persuading (the victim) to make herself uncontactable at trial and indeed that did occur, with the police being unable to locate her for a time, until the very eve of trial.”

Graham Chevalier was jailed for multiple domestic violence offences. Picture: File

Chevalier had previously pleaded to multiple domestic violence offences and attempting to dissuade that witness from giving evidence.

“You have an appalling history of offending and violence including significant previous violence,” Judge Stretton said.

The court heard Chevalier had apologised to the victim and is ashamed of his actions.

“You’ve reflected on your life, realising that drugs and alcohol are not the answer,” Judge Stretton said.

Judge Stretton sentenced Chevalier to five years jail, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.

“To say that repeatedly violently assaulting your domestic partner, choking her and then pressuring her to withdraw the charges is serious offending is an understatement,” he said.

“Quite frankly, your behaviour would have made this young woman’s life a nightmare.”

The sentence was backdated to April 25, 2020.