Joshua Minett pleads guilty to domestic violence offences

A judge has expressed “real concerns about the safety of women in the community” after a serial DV offender threatened to kill someone when he got out of jail.

Joshua Minett has pleaded guilty to a number of domestic violence offences. Picture: Facebook

A Dubbo man who choked his girlfriend, punched her in the head and threw her against a bedframe has pleaded guilty to a string of domestic violence charges in court.

According to court documents, Joshua Minett committed the choking and assault crimes in the home of his victim in December 2018.

Joshua Minett. Picture: Facebook

A further intimidation offence was committed in May 2019, over a four-day period when the 30-year-old left the same woman fearing for her life during a trip to Newcastle.

At a district court sentencing hearing, defence barrister Nicholas Broadbent said Minett had a “significant difficulty with anger”.

“These are not acts that are being committed in a vacuum,” Mr Broadbent said.

Minett expressed regret and remorse, however he needed counselling and access to support to deal with diagnosed schizophrenia and bipolar conditions, Mr Broadbent told the court.

Judge Nanette Williams said Minett stabbed another girlfriend 10 years ago and told a custodial officer he would kill someone when he got out of jail.

“What the court has to do is consider future dangerousness,” Judge Williams said.

“I have real concerns about the safety of women in the community.”

Crown prosecutor Mark Hay said Minett “had more than his fair share of chances to rehabilitate himself”.

“On every occasion that this man has come before the court, he’s made the same types of statements with the same types of people.

“It is almost as though he has come to learn to ‘game the system’.

The case returns to court in March 2021.

Minett remains remanded in custody.