Chris Finlay jailed for savage attack on partner
A father-of-two terrorised his girlfriend after he was cut off at the bar, leaving her in fear of her life, covered in bruises and with teeth marks on her face.
Dubbo News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dubbo News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Dubbo’s best personal trainers revealed
- Smiling man’s zero regrets for attack on off-duty cop
- Paedo who preyed on teen for sex hid vibrator in stuffed bear
A Dubbo man who bit and choked his girlfriend after he went through her phone and became abusive has been jailed.
Chris Finlay, 30, had been drinking all night with his victim at the Coachman Hotel in Parkes before he was refused service, according to court documents.
At about 12.30am on August 29, the couple left the venue and walked across to a vacant lot.
A drunken Finlay started arguing with his victim because he was frustrated members of her family were not ready to leave the venue.
According to court documents, Finlay demanded access to the victim’s phone and as he was looking through it he became agitated.
A fight broke out and Finlay bit the victim’s eyebrow and pushed her into the side mirror of a vehicle they were standing next to.
Finlay put his hands around the victim’s neck and choked her.
After she ended up on the ground, the victim played dead, however Finlay kept picking her up.
In fear of her life, the victim tried to escape, however Finlay kept grabbing her and pulling her back towards him.
After the victim managed to get away from Finlay, she approached a stranger on the street for help.
The victim was taken back to the Coachman Hotel and was left covered in agonising pain, covered in bruises with swelling all over her body and teeth marks on her face.
Finlay later travelled back to Orange where the couple were living and handed himself in to police.
“I never should have done it,” Finlay told police.
He pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he faced Dubbo Local Court.
Magistrate Gary Wilson said Finlay’s attack on the victim was “savage” and “prolonged”.
“You’re a big man, I don’t know what her size is but you were unrelenting,” Magistrate Wilson told Finlay.
“I know you were significantly intoxicated but that’s no excuse whatsoever.”
The court heard Finlay was a father of two who had worked as a diesel mechanic and was involved in a bad car accident last year.
Finlay was previously convicted of a common assault and had cut back on his drinking since the attack, the court heard.
Magistrate Wilson said while Finlay had a relatively limited record and pleaded guilty early, a sentencing assessment report contained concerning observations including that Finlay had blamed the victim for his behaviour.
“It says you minimised your offending behaviour and related this to the dysfunctional nature of the relationship,” Magistrate Wilson told Finlay.
“I don’t know how you could blame the victim for the behaviour you exhibited on this evening.”
Finlay was convicted and sentenced to 14 months in jail, with a 10-month non-parole period imposed.
He will be eligible for release in August next year.