Adam Vartiainen pleads guilty to common assault and contravening AVO

The man bit his partner on the nose drawing blood in a public altercation according to court documents.

A Coffs Harbour man told police he was “happy to be arrested” after he bit his partner on the nose causing it to bleed according to court documents.

Police were called to the Woodlands and Leisure Drive intersection at Banora Point about 6.25pm on February 8 to reports of an urgent domestic violence incident where multiple people, including an off-duty officer, had witnessed an altercation.

When they arrived Adam Vartiainen, 31, was sitting on the grass with the off-duty officer, while the victim had run away.

Vartiainen said to police “We had a bit of an argument and I bit her nose.”

At the time he smelt strongly of alcohol, his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

He said “I am happy to be arrested and you put me in jail mate” and “I am sick of this b******* just take me to the cop shop I am sick of this manipulative b****.”

Police approached the victim who had a 2- 3cm cut on her upper lip and blood running around her nose.

She told police Vartiainen had threatened to kill her daughter if she reported him to police.

She said during the evening, where they’d been travelling around in her rental vehicle, she had stopped for a shower and Vartiainen had accused her of sleeping with every truck driver before hitting her head multiple times and biting her nose.

Vartiainen pleaded guilty in Tweed Heads Local Court on Monday to common assault and contravening a domestic violence order.

Defence lawyer Jack Mulherin said his client and now ex-partner had been homeless at the time living in the car.

On the day of the offence he said the pair had been drinking alcohol when they ran out and Vartiainen had asked the victim to purchase more and cigarettes when things turned abusive and she started calling him a loser.

Mr Mulherin said Vartiainen was close to her face when he bit her on the nose which drew blood.

“This relationship was very, very toxic,” Mr Mulherin said.

He said his client was remorseful for his actions and chose not to apply for bail so he could get sober while in custody.

Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy described the assault as “nasty” and “humiliating” for the victim.

Taking into account six weeks spent on remand, Vartiainen was sentenced to a 10 month intensive corrections order with a total of 200 hours community service.