Cancer patient Stephen John Sutherland chokes ex-girlfriend

A Northern Rivers grandfather with liver cancer has assaulted his former partner while attempting to retrieve a clothing dryer from her house, a court has heard.

A Northern Rivers grandfather undergoing chemotherapy for liver cancer has choked his ex-girlfriend to the ground, while attempting to retrieve a clothing dryer from her residence.

Steven John Sutherland, 55, has been charged with intentionally choking with recklessness, intentionally or recklessly destroying/damaging property, stalking or intimidation, intending to cause physical and mental harm and assault causing actual bodily harm towards his former partner, according to court documents.

The victim had been in an off-and-on-again relationship with Sutherland for four years and they had recently broken up, according to police documents from Lismore Local Court.

The court heard the victim was home at Stephen Street in Urbenville on May 24 when Sutherland arrived at the house in the morning, attempting to collect his clothes dryer.

Sutherland forced his way through the locked laundry door, damaging the door jam, and proceeded to exit the front door to speak with the neighbour, the court heard.

Stephen John Sutherland exits Lismore Court after being convicted for domestic violence.

During this time, police state the victim had moved the dryer out of the laundry to the back of the house and went to shut the front door.

As the victim attempted to shut the front door to lock Sutherland out, he ran back into the house and grabbed his former partner by the throat, forcing her to the ground where she landed hard against the air conditioning unit, court documents state.

Sutherland proceeded to pick the victim up by the hair and throw her back onto the ground when she started having a panic attack and could not breathe, police state.

Sutherland then left the house.

While the victim called her friends to come over and contacted the authorities, Sutherland drove past the victim’s house a number of times, police state.

Police located a bruise on the victim’s right arm and said the victim was very afraid that “he may return to finish the job” as she alleged he had threatened to kill her before.

At Lismore Local Court, Sutherland’s solicitor described him as a “doting” grandfather who was undergoing cancer treatment when the incident occurred.

Sutherland was convicted by magistrate Jeff Linden and has to abide by a community corrections order for 18 months and a two year AVO.