Shaun Liddicoat pleads not guilty to multiple domestic violence offences

A man will face trial on serious domestic violence charges after he allegedly instructed his dog to “kill” his partner during an argument.

A man will face trial accused of instructing his dog to attack his partner, as well as allegedly choking her in another incident.

Shaun Michael Liddicoat, 40, pleaded not guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to multiple domestic violence charges, including choking and urging a dog to attack a person.

The court previously heard Mr Liddicoat and the alleged victim had been together since January 2021 and engaged for 18 months.

A prosecutor said the alleged victim was arrested in relation to an aggravated assault against Mr Liddicoat on August 20, and she disclosed a history of domestic violence to police.

The alleged victim told police she argued with Mr Liddicoat and he took away her keys and phone and he allegedly shoved her out of the front door.

Shaun Liddicoat pleaded not guilty to multiple domestic violence offences. Photo: Facebook

“He’s then locked the victim outside throughout the entire night and it was raining that night and it was cold,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard Mr Liddicoat and the alleged victim argued on August 14 and he allegedly instructed his dog to attack her.

“His dog has lunged at her, bit her three times,” the prosecutor said.

“The suspect has … said to the dog ‘get her, get her, just kill her’,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard Mr Liddicoat also allegedly placed his hands around the alleged victim’s neck and squeezed tightly in July.

The prosecutor said Mr Liddicoat, who is a 160kg man, then allegedly started laying across the victim, leaving her struggling to breathe.

During Mr Liddicoat’s successful bail application in October, Alda Shkambi, for Mr Liddicoat, told the court the relationship between the two had now ended.

Ms Shkambi said the credibility of the alleged victim was in question as the night she was allegedly locked outside was the same night she was arrested and Mr Liddicoat was taken in custody.

“There are mental health issues which are combined with drug use that have caused quite unsettling behaviour on behalf of the complainant,” she said.

Ms Shkambi said the allegations were unfounded.

“It is my client who called the ambulance when the dog attacked,” she said.

“My instructions are that the dog attacked because my client was being attacked by the complainant.”

On Thursday, magistrate Justin Wickens committed Mr Liddicoat to the District Court for arraignment in May.

Originally published as Shaun Liddicoat pleads not guilty to multiple domestic violence offences