Young father slapped partner in labour at Westmead Hospital after being denied laughing gas

A young coward slapped his ex partner in the face while she was in labour at a western Sydney hospital because she refused to give him the gas administered to help manage contractions. Here’s the latest as he faced court.

The 19-year-old (left) cannot be named as he was 17 when he committed the offences.

A young father slapped his ex partner in the face while she was in labour at a Western Sydney hospital because she refused to give him the laughing gas administered to help manage contractions.

The 19-year-old Normanhurst man, who cannot be named as he was 17 when he committed the domestic violence offences between August and October 2023, faced Burwood Local Court on Monday to be sentenced with the court hearing about a series of cowardly crimes.

The 19-year-old (left) outside Burwood Court House.

Documents state the man slapped the woman in the face while she was in labour with his baby at Westmead Hospital because she did not give him laughing gas, also known as nitrous oxide, which was given to reduce contraction pains during labour.

A week later the offender apologised to the woman after they had a separate argument at her northwest Sydney home.

When the woman went to hug the man, he kicked her. The woman pushed and kicked the man away in self-defence, documents state.

That night the woman was holding their baby when the man punched her in the face. The victim said “I’m holding her” and placed the newborn on the bed. The woman took photos of the red mark and bruising from the assault.

The man was sentenced at Burwood Court House. Picture: NewsLocal / Savannah Pocock

On another occasion, the pair argued because the woman believed the man was using drugs which led to the offender punching the victim in the face.

After the assault, the woman forced the man to leave her house. He left and knocked on the balcony door outside her bedroom and said he had “lost his temper” and wanted to be there for her.

The woman let the man back in and he immediately slapped her across the face and laughed as the woman locked herself in the bathroom fearing for her safety.

The victim had a black eye from the assault.

In another incident, the man texted the woman: “I’m a crazy stalker. I’m an obsessive ex. I’m gonna kill you. Call the police, tonight, right now.”

In January, the man pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, common assault, intimidation and breaching an apprehended violence order.

Magistrate Chris Halburd said some of the assaults took place when his partner was pregnant.

“The offending is just cowardly,” he said.

Mr Halburd said the man had an ADHD diagnosis and may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The offender was sentenced to a supervised 18-month intensive corrections order and must complete 50 hours of community service work.

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