Dayne Teece sentenced in Coffs Harbour court for domestic violence

A Coffs Harbour man who breached a protection order and assaulted his partner over several days has been sentenced.

A man who breached a protection order and assaulted his partner over several days, at one point kicking her as she lay on the kitchen floor, has been sentenced.

Dayne Teece has now reconciled with his victim who sat in court to support him when he was sentenced in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday, October 18.

The charges relate to an incident which began on May 1 and occurred in the victim’s home over a number of days, it was heard when the matter last came before Magistrate Julia Virgo on September 6.

Ms Virgo had told the court the assault involved “kicking of the victim while she was on the kitchen floor, then the following day the further assault of pushing in the living room”.

Dayne Teece.

Teece, 40, pleaded guilty to four charges: contravene prohibition/restriction in a domestic apprehended violence order; stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (domestic); common assault (domestic violence) and destroy or damage property (domestic violence).

Lawyer Jesse Sinclair told the court his client had suffered abuse and trauma as a child but was seeking psychiatric help to help work through this.

Mr Sinclair said his “palpable disadvantage” should impact his sentencing because it “reduces his culpability”.

Mr Sinclair also told the court that Teece, who has never been in full-time custody before, had engaged with several programs including the Strong Aboriginal Men Program and had recently gained employment as a concrete renderer.

The court also heard that alcohol was a prime factor in his offending and that Teece was also seeking help to deal with this.

“It was a frightening incident for the victim and was a consequence of your abuse of alcohol,” Ms Virgo told Teece.

She also said she must consider a custodial sentence and that the recent offending had occurred while there was a court order already in place to protect the victim and “against the backdrop of earlier domestic violence offences”.

But she accepted that Teece showed insight into his offending and “genuine” prospects for rehabilitation.

“You have not only engaged with a number of programs but are beginning to demonstrate some insight,” she said.

“Your victim is here in court supporting you and this shows reasonable prospects for rehabilitation.”

In relation to the assault and contravening a domestic apprehended violence order, he was given an 18-month intensive corrections order and will be supervised by a community corrections officer and must continue to address his alcohol problem and undergo psychological treatment with Dr Bruce Wilson.

Teece was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

In relation to the stalk and intimidate and damage property offences, he was given a 12-month intensive corrections order.

Ms Virgo said the intensive corrections order was not a “soft option” and was the “equivalent of a custodial sentence” and would involve a concerted effort on Teece’s behalf to abide by the various conditions.