Ballina man Justin Stacey Sheridan faces Byron Bay court pleading guilty to attacking then-partner

A court has heard of the need to expose domestic violence after a man assaulted his partner at her Byron Bay home “to stop her from screaming so the neighbours wouldn’t hear”.

Justin Stacey Sheridan, 49, outside the court.

A magistrate has raised “changing community expectations of how people treat their partners” and “greater publicity surrounding domestic violence” after a Ballina man attacked his partner.

Magistrate Karen Stafford spoke of the need to crack down on such violence as Justin Stacey Sheridan faced Byron Bay Local Court for sentencing on January 17.

The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and contravening an AVO after the violence at his then-partner’s Byron Bay home on September 12 last year.

Sheridan became threatening when his partner of one year asked him to move out because she wanted to end their relationship, police documents state,

He refused and said he wanted to “work on the relationship”, but the woman asked Sheridan to leave.

Sheridan “grabbed her by the throat” and said “stop it, stop saying that”, police facts state.

The woman ran to the front door to escape Sheridan, but he “pulled her into the bedroom and pinned her down on the bed with a hand on her throat”, scratching her lip.

Fighting to free herself, the woman escaped and fled into the street “upset and yelling out for help” with Sheridan close behind, according to police.

The woman ran to a neighbour’s home for safety and declined to speak to Sheridan when he knocked on the door.

The woman made a police statement and an AVO was put in place. Sheridan then breached the AVO on October 4, 2022.

Police caught him at the woman’s home and he was arrested, despite claiming they reunited.

Defence lawyer Sophie Dagg said Sheridan assaulted his former partner “to stop her from screaming so the neighbours wouldn’t hear”.

She said Sheridan was planning to see a psychologist.

Justin Stacey Sheridan (right) outside the court.

Ms Stafford said aggravating features of the offending were that it occurred in the woman’s home and Sheridan’s history of similar offences.

“Grabbing someone by the throat is a red flag of repeat offending,” she said.

“This assault demonstrates the intent of controlling your partner.”

Ms Stafford said communities needed to put a stop to domestic violence.

“There are changing community expectations of how people treat their partners and greater publicity surrounding domestic violence,” she said.

Ms Stafford said there was “a need in the community to stop people, especially men, from this type of offending”.

She convicted and fined Sheridan $1000 and sentenced him to a supervised intensive nine-month community corrections order.

It includes 80 hours of community service work, psychological treatment and domestic violence treatment in a men’s behavioural change program.