Grafton man jailed for choking partner unconscious

A Grafton man launched into a terrifying attack on his partner after believing she was having an affair with his best friend

Clarence crime

A Grafton man will spend the next nine months behind bars after he was convicted for a frightening assault on his partner where he choked the woman unconscious during a jealous rage over a non-existent affair.

Oral Monaghan appeared in Grafton Local Court Wednesday last week where he pleaded guilty to intentionally choke a person with recklessness, reckless grievous bodily harm and contravening a prohibition/restriction in an AVO.

The court heard the 29-year-old was drinking at a friend's place in Grafton on the evening of May 28 last year when at about 10pm he called his girlfriend of 12 months to bring him a carton of beer.

According to court documents she arrived a short time later, but not long after arriving the victim left with a friend of Monaghan's, where the pair drove around and discussed their relationship.

After a short while they returned to the address and the friend got out of the car. Court documents state Monaghan then got into the front seat of the vehicle and, believing the victim was having an affair with the friend, punched the victim twice in the face.

Court documents state Monaghan was removed from the vehicle and away from the victim by people at the house. However a short time later the victim and Monaghan left the address at Hoof St in the victim's vehicle.

The pair drove around Grafton for around 20 minutes before parking near Frank McGuren Field in Powell St to talk further.

The court heard the conversation ended when Monaghan grabbed the victim around the throat and choked her. Unable to speak or call out for help the victim tried to push Monaghan off and away from her but was powerless to stop him.

Court documents reveal Monaghan then dragged the victim from the driver's seat to the front passenger seat while still strangling her. Unsure of how she came to be on the ground outside her vehicle she told police she regained consciousness with another vehicle's headlights shining in her eyes.

The victim was assisted to the vehicle by two passers-by known to the pair and was taken to Grafton Police Station. NSW Ambulance paramedics attended and assessed the victim before taking her to Grafton Base Hospital.

Scans of the victim revealed she had suffered a fractured jaw that extended to a dental socket, and she was transferred to Gold Coast University Hospital the same night for surgery. At 11.55pm on May 28 Monaghan was arrested and questioned by police.

As a result of the incident an AVO was taken out for the protection of the victim. However between 3pm of August 21 and 10.36am September 2 Monaghan called the victim's mobile 61 times, while the victim called Monaghan 38 times.

Court documents reveal that about 9.15am September 3 officers from Coffs/Clarence Police District saw Monaghan and the victim leave Monaghan's home address in each other's company.

About 9.40am the same day police approached Monaghan inside a South Grafton gym where he was cautioned and arrested. While in custody Monaghan's phone was inspected where police found evidence the AVO non-contact order had been breached.

In court last week magistrate Michael Dakin sentenced Monaghan to a term of imprisonment of 22 months, with a non-parole period of 15 months. Monaghan will be eligible for parole on December 2, 2021.

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