Lachlan and Garry St Clair sentenced for attempting to convince woman to drop domestic violence charges

A thug who committed horrific acts of domestic violence walked free from court after he and his father tried to convince her to drop the charges.

A thug who committed horrific acts of domestic violence on his partner has walked free from court after he tried to convince her to drop the charges.

Lachlan Wayne St Clair, 41, left his partner fearing for her safety with his actions before his father, Garry St Clair, 67, made the “misguided attempt” to free him from jail.

Lachlan was jailed for two years in 2022 for multiple domestic violence offences, including assault and choking.

Lachlan and his victim had been dating in November 2016 before the woman cut off all ties because he was “becoming overly possessive”.

They reconnected in August 2018 and were living in the southern suburbs when Lachlan began assaulting the victim.

Lachlan St Clair was sentenced for serious domestic violence against his partner. Picture: Facebook.

Garry St Clair was sentenced for attempting to pervert the course of justice. Photo: Facebook

Lachlan placed the victim in a headlock in December 2019 after a conversation about their relationship turned violent.

He placed a hand over her mouth and told her he would strangle her to death.

Lachlan pushed the victim on to a bed and forced her face into the quilt before holding a pillow over her face.

“Following the incident you effectively kept the victim under surveillance to ensure that she did not make contact with police in relation to what had just occurred,” Judge Anthony Allen said during sentencing.

In June 2020, Lachlan grabbed the victim by the neck and choked her, stating a number of times he was going to kill her.

The assault only came to an end when police entered the property and observed a “scene of carnage” and heard the victim crying and saying she couldn’t breathe.

After Lachlan’s arrest he contacted the victim by letters and phones and requested she drop some of the charges or change her statement.

Garry also sent the victim some texts to try and convince her to drop the charges against his son.

Lachlan pleaded guilty to attempting to dissuade a witness while Garry pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The victim gave a victim impact statement in the District Court on Friday, saying the contact from Lachlan and Garry made her feel terrified for the safety of herself and her son.

“These events have altered my sense of trust in others and the world around me,” she said.

“I am scared to leave my home … no matter how much I try to move on the fear remains real and alive.”

Judge Paul Muscat said while he understood Garry’s conduct was a “misguided attempt” to help his son be released from prison he knew what he was doing was wrong.

“As your counsel correctly observed you should have stayed out of it,” he said.

Lachlan was sentenced to one year and 10 months jail, with a non-parole period of 14 months.

Taking into account the time he had already spent in custody he was released from jail.

Garry was sentenced to nine months jail, which was suspended on a $1000, 12 month good behaviour bond.