St Leonard’s man David Gibbons faces court over attempts to light woman’s hair on fire

A St Leonards man who punched a girl up to 15 times and pinched her with pliers has learnt his fate after pleading guilty to a string of charges in a Geelong court on Thursday.

A St Leonards man who repeatedly assaulted a woman over a nine-day period and tried to set her hair on fire has pleaded guilty in a Geelong court on Thursday.

David Gibbons, 46, faced Geelong Magistrates Court on charges including recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault with weapon across multiple incidents relating to the same victim between December 27, 2019, and January 5, 2020.

The court was told a 22-year-old woman had been living at Gibbons’ address for two weeks from late December 2019 when the violent acts began.

Police prosecutor Lisa Schoemaker said Gibbons demanded six weeks’ rent from the victim despite her living at the residence for two weeks, sparking a row.

Gibbons’ assaults included punching the 22-year-old woman in the head up to 15 times. Picture: iStock

Gibbons’ assaults included attempting to set the woman’s hair on fire using a spray can and lighter, using pliers to pinch the back of her right upper arm and punching her in the head up to 15 times.

When police were called to the property on January 5 the victim had large swelling to her forehead and appeared distressed.

Gibbons was arrested and taken to the Geelong Police station, interviewed and was later released pending summons.

Defence lawyer Jonathan Barrera told the court his client was “psychotic” by way of mental disorder when the spate of crimes occurred.

In an unrelated offence, Gibbons was sentenced to 69 days’ imprisonment in the County Court for an armed robbery that took place within a three-week period of his violent assaults.

Mr Barrera said the “offending is quite serious” however his client had since made significant progress towards rehabilitation by undertaking counselling and attending a men’s behaviour change program.

The court heard Corrections Victoria assessed Gibbons to be at risk of reoffending if interventions were not put in place.

Gibbons will serve a 12-month community corrections order with programs around minimising reoffending.

Originally published as St Leonard’s man David Gibbons faces court over attempts to light woman’s hair on fire