Duane Johnson jailed for domestic violence related offences on same victim

A dad with “a menu of crime offences” who was on the run from police in western NSW has been sentenced for several domestic violence offences. Here’s the latest.

A man whose criminal record has been described by a magistrate as a “menu of crime offences” has been sentenced in Dubbo Local Court following a string of domestic violence related attacks across western NSW.

Duane Johnson, 31, appeared in court via audio visual link from a correctional centre in NSW following his eventual arrest on Wednesday, July 6.

Documents tendered to the court reveal that Johnson was involved in multiple domestic violence related matters with an ex partner, dating back to October 4, 2020, when the pair started arguing on Talbragar St in Dubbo.

Duane Johnson was imprisoned in Dubbo Local Court yesterday.

Johnson was driving with the victim, who walked away to avoid confrontation but he continued following her on Brisbane St.

He grabbed the victim’s phone, throwing it at the dashboard with “enough force to crack the phone screen,” police facts state.

The victim tried to retrieve the phone but Johnson threw it again, this time on the concrete beside the vehicle, smashing the screen and damaging the body.

Johnson then looked at the pregnant woman and said “I’m going to kick your c**t in,” before saying “I’m going to kick your guts in”.

The victim retreated to her mother’s room at the Gest Inn, contacting police due to being fearful for herself and the unborn child.

Police found Johnson two days later after patrols around East Dubbo.

He was charged with domestic violence related destroy or damage property and stalk or intimidate with intention of fear or physical harm.

Johnson was convicted of the matter in his absence in February last year.

Around April 10 last year, the victim was at an address on Tudor St in Bourke when Johnson visited the house, before unleashing into a verbal argument which turned physical.

“(Johnson) has punched the victim once to her right eye, causing immediate pain,” police facts state.

The victim reported the incident to police on April 15 because she did not have access to a phone at the time of the offence.

“It was noted that there was still a slight bruise under the victim’s right eye,” police facts state.

Later that day, Johnson called the victim between 6pm and 7pm over the Messenger social media app, under a different name.

She recognised the voice to be Johnson’s who shortly after became angry, saying he “was going to jump on her head”.

Johnson was convicted of the offence in his absence in November 2021.

On June 5 this year, when Johnson was “actively on the run from police” with warrants for his arrest, he contacted the victim about another family dispute at 6pm.

After arguing, Johnson said: “I’ll have to teach you a lesson, I’ll show ya, I’ll show ya”.

The victim disconnected the call with Johnson calling around 10 times to no avail.

He messaged the victim at 6.27pm, with a message reading “I new I was waiting my time on you ya dorty putrid slut”(sic). With a follow up text which said “dirty”.

“You’re a f*****g skunk girl suck mg cock slut,” Johnson said five minutes later.

The victim didn’t reply and Johnson called three more times. At 6.42pm, he sent another text message, reading “your gone now slut I’m sick of your s**t”(sic).

He finally received a reply which said “your gone now too wana threatening me for f**k all”(sic) as the victim then attended Bourke police station to report the matter.

In speaking with the victim, police observed Johnson to call her, hearing a male voice which was identified as the offender.

“Get out of there, you better not be at the police station,” Johnson said to the victim.

She handed police a written statement with police applying for a warrant application for Johnson’s arrest.

A post on June 22 was made to the Central North Police District’s Facebook page, appealing for public assistance for Johnson’s whereabouts, and he was finally detained on July 6.

The court heard from Johnson’s lawyer that while the language used by his client on June 5 was “unsavoury”, there were no issues since April last year.

He cited Johnson’s step down in offending during that period and his willingness to not contest matters that were dealt with recently before the court in which he was convicted for in his absence.

The lawyer appealed for Magistrate Greg Grogin to take into account Johnson’s substance abuse from a young age, and that he was seeking to engage with drug and alcohol support, an area which he had not addressed in the past.

The court was told that Johnson would live with his mother in Brewarrina when released from custody, highlighting the sentencing assessment report which indicates that she is a “positive influence” on him.

Ultimately, Johnson’s lawyer said that he wanted to reconnect with his children and that he did not want to become an “absent father”.

Magistrate Grogin described the offences as “serious”, saying people should be allowed to feel safe in a relationship.

He continued reading the “extensive criminal record,” including dishonesty, failing to appear in court, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, police pursuits, reckless wounding, stealing cars, resisting police among many others.

“His record reads like a menu of crime offences,” Magistrate Grogin said.

“Johnson’s written a letter to the court saying he’s a changed man. and that he wants to be involved with his children.”

While accepting Johnson’s mother’s positive influence raised in the sentencing assessment report, Magistrate Grogin took particular issue with the 31-year-old’s inability to take accountability for his actions with his ex partner.

“He maintained his innocence, which he claimed was ‘nothing serious’,” Magistrate Grogin said.

“When he punched the victim, he minimised the offence by blaming the victim.”

The magistrate accepted that Johnson did have a drug issue, which “is shown on his record”.

But he again highlighted Johnson’s behaviour, with the report claiming that “he only plead guilty to get the matter over and done with”.

“I don‘t think I’ve read a more damning SAR during my time on this bench,” Magistrate Grogin said.

“I am of the opinion that some of these offences have crossed the section five threshold.

“He needs to be punished and held accountable for his offences … something the SAR says he is not in a position to do because he denies the offences.”

Magistrate Grogin said a custodial sentence was the only option necessary.

Johnson was handed an aggregate sentence of 14 months with a non-parole period of eight months, backdated to July 6.

He is eligible for release on January 5, 2023, with the sentence expiring on March 5.