The Entrance: Joseph John Vought convicted of choking pregnant girlfriend and other DV offences

A truck driver in the mines has been convicted in his absence of a string of domestic violence offences including choking his pregnant girlfriend.

The woman eventually reported the abuse in March last year at The Entrance Police Station. Picture: Google

A truck driver in the mines has been convicted of nine domestic violence offences when he failed to turn up to court to defend the charges.

Joseph John Vought, 30, of The Entrance, had pleaded not guilty to nine domestic violence charges including three counts of intentionally choking, four counts of assault and one count each of intimidation and destroying property.

But Vought did not appear at Wyong Local Court on Tuesday where he was convicted in his absence on all charges and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was also issued with an apprehended violence order (AVO) for the protection of his ex-girlfriend for five years.

A set of police facts states the couple were in a relationship for several years before she left him in March last year.

Vought was supposed to turn up at Wyong Local Court on Tuesday but never showed.

During the relationship Vought assaulted his partner a number of times including pushing her backwards on a bed when she was about 20 weeks pregnant in December 2021.

“The victim had landed on her back on the bed when the accused has grabbed a pillow and held it over the face of the victim,” the facts state.

Vought was convicted of domestic violence offences. (File image)

On another occasion in July 2022 Vought smashed up the victim’s side of the wardrobe before grabbing her throat and using his leg to kick her legs out from under her.

“The victim was struggling to breathe while the accused was choking her for about one minute,” the facts state.

She kept kicking out at him to stop until she “connected” with his testicles and he let her go.

In June 2023 the couple were staying with relatives at Bonny Hills when they started arguing about potatoes.

She went outside to use her phone, which set Vought off more and he demanded to see who she was messaging.

Vought demanded to see her phone before dragging her inside and choking her. (Picture: istock)

When she refused he ripped her T-shirt and dragged her inside where he threw her on a mattress.

“The accused has then grabbed the victim by the neck with both his hands and the victim’s head hanging off the edge of the mattress saying ‘I’m going to f..king kill you c..t, you f..king bitch, you slut, you sly c..t’,” the facts state.

“The victim was struggling to breathe. The victim could feel her face going red.”

Vought kept choking her until a relative came into the room and dragged him off her.

In March last year, while Vought was away at Mudgee driving trucks in the mines, the victim messaged him to say she had met someone else and ended their relationship.

He messaged her back and threatened “well best be known that I’m gonna be waiting at your workplace at 6 o’clock in the morning, Monday and I’m going to stab the absolute f..k out of him, cut of his head and hand it to you”.

“I don’t give a f..k if I have to spend the rest of my life in gaol for killing the person you chose over me,” he told her.

After the messages she went to The Entrance Police Station to report the history of abuse and showed officers photographs of her neck from the previous chokings.

Police called him the following day and arranged for him to attend Wyong Police Station where he was interviewed but denied the allegations.

On Tuesday, when he didn’t turn up for the hearing to defend the charges, Magistrate Trevor Khan found Vought guilty of each offence and issued a warrant for Vought’s arrest.