Dylan Herron, 36, pleads guilty to Thomson assaults

A man has escaped further prison time over a number of concerning assaults on a woman in a Geelong suburb.

Picture: Alan Barber

A man has escaped further prison time over a number of concerning assaults on a woman in a Geelong suburb.

Dylan Herron, 36, of no fixed address, fronted court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to charges that included recklessly causing injury and aggravated assault of a female.

The court heard Herron, who has a lengthy criminal history, had spent the past 123 days in prison after being arrested on the unlawful assault and three theft charges.

According to court documents, he punched a woman to the head and face in Thomson on February 28 with such force it caused a laceration and blood to run from her skull.
The victim then ran off but was “dragged back” by her hair.

Herron also stole her mobile phone, valued at $120, on the same day, according to the documents.

On August 30 last year, he verbally assaulted a woman and punched her to the back of the head, also in Thomson.

The court was told he also stole a laptop, a blanket and suitcase valued at $400 on May 13 last year in Bonshaw, near Ballarat.

In handing down his sentence, Magistrate Franz Holzer said the man “had some history” and a problem with drugs.

“You have served 123 days in prison and I will not hold you over longer than that,” he said.

“What has caused you to come before me again is drugs. You need to work harder on that front.”

Mr Holzer said if not for an early plea he would have handed Herron a nine-month jail term.

Herron was sentenced to a 18-month community corrections order that involved a drug program.

He could be handed a three-month prison stay if he doesn’t comply with the order.

Originally published as Dylan Herron, 36, pleads guilty to Thomson assaults