Nowra man Matthew Kaplantzi sentenced for ‘nasty’ domestic violence crimes

A bitter boyfriend who tried to hit his former partner with a car before sending her a shocking threat on Instagram has been punished for his “very serious” crimes.

Matthew Kaplantzi was sentenced in Wollongong Local Court on Monday.

A bitter boyfriend who “could have been on a murder charge” will stay behind bars after being sentenced for a string of vile domestic violence crimes.

Matthew Kaplantzi, 23, was sentenced in Wollongong Local Court on Monday on intimidation and assault charges.

The Nowra man, who used to live in the Shellharbour region, committed the crimes against his former partner in May.

Documents tendered in court stated Kaplantzi was messaging the victim’s mum while she was asleep on Sunday, May 2. The victim later told him to stop contacting her family.

This enraged Kaplantzi who started destroying the woman’s property before a physical altercation ensued with the man biting her on the arm.

The following day, Kaplantzi and the woman had an argument at their Nowra address, which led to him driving his car at her.

Court documents state another person rescued her and who pulled her inside the house.

On May 5, Kaplantzi sent the victim a message on Instagram threatening to “slit their dog’s throat” with the “nasty” acts then reported to police,

Kaplantzi handed himself in five days later.

In court, Kaplantzi‘s lawyer submitted the relationship between the offender and the victim had “become toxic” and his client was “at great danger of becoming institutionalised”.

Magistrate Claire Girotto said both assault charges were “very serious”, adding if it were not for a neighbour helping the victim avoid the car, he “could have been on a murder charge”.

The magistrate said Kaplantzi’s offending was “nasty”, before warning Kaplantzi to address his behaviour to avoid becoming “a long-term domestic violence offender”.

Kaplantzi was handed a 12-month jail sentence with a non-parole period of six months.

With time already served, Kaplantzi could be eligible for release in April, 2023.