Craig Robert Waters pleads guilty at Grafton District Court to breaching an AVO and breaking and entering

A South Grafton man showed up at his protected former partner’s house and knocked the door off its hinges before punching holes in the walls. Only later would he realise he was at the wrong address.

Craig Robert Waters, 23, leaving Grafton District Court.

A South Grafton man showed up at his protected former partner’s house and knocked the door off its hinges before punching holes in the walls and leaving the home in a state of disarray.

Craig Robert Waters, 23, of South Grafton pleaded guilty at Grafton Local Court on March 17 to breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO) and aggravated break and entering.

Waters was in a previous intimate relationship with the victim for six years which had ended two years ago.

The victim had an AVO against Waters that prevented him from coming within 100 metres of her South Grafton home.

The woman was home watching television when she heard someone walking up the front steps about 11.50pm on July 19 last year.

She recognised Water’s voice as he called out: “Kesharne, open the f**ken door, f**k ya,” police documents state.

Craig Robert Waters

Kesharne is known to the victim as Waters’ current partner.

The victim reached for her phone as a precaution and told Waters he was at the wrong house.

Waters told the victim it was his birthday and to open the door.

He then began banging on the door, splitting the door handle, and said: “Open the f**king door you mother f**ker, I’ll smash you and any c**t that’s in the house.”

The victim dialled triple-0 and ran to the back door, fleeing to her neighbours house and waited there until police arrived.

She could hear items in her house being smashed.

Waters was lying on the dining room floor, surrounded by broken furniture, when officers found and arrested him. He was heavily intoxicated, police state.

“The house was in disarray,” police documents state.

The home damage consisted of: A broken cupboard door, a large hole in the living room, the front door was off its hinges and split in parts, the TV had been pushed over, a glass window was smashed and there was damage to the fridge, lounge room furniture items and wall damage in a bedroom.

Grafton Courthouse. Photo: Adam Hourigan

On police body camera video footage, Waters can be heard muttering: “Who the f**k is in the house, who the f**k is that.”

The police prosecutor said Waters has been before the court before with two alcohol related offences.

“You ransacked the house causing significant damage,” the prosecutor said.

Defence lawyer Jesse Sinclair told the court Waters had gone to the wrong house while intoxicated and had not had a drink since last July.

The court heard Waters had never lived at one place for more than two years and had experienced domestic violence and homelessness growing up.

In the witness box, Waters said he started drinking from about age 13 and said he would like to undertake drug and alcohol programs to discover what triggered his temper when he drinks.

Judge Jonathon Priestley SC sentenced Waters to a supervised 32-month intensive corrections order. Stipulations include that he must see a psychologist, receive domestic violence counselling and is not allowed to drink alcohol.

Waters played football for the Grafton Rebels and is planning to relocate to Armidale where he has a roofing job lined up.