Steven Baxter sentenced at Picton Local Court for domestic violence offences

A Macarthur man who bit his wife and threw a present at her head has avoided time behind bars. Read what happened in court.

A man who pleaded guilty to biting his wife has avoided time behind bars after a magistrate decided he could serve the sentence in the community.

Steven Baxter, 45, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and damaging property after a violent outburst on his own birthday.

On April 24, Baxter and his partner of 25 years had an argument before she left their home in Tahmoor. During the day, he sent her multiple messages accusing her of having an affair and one saying “good don’t come home cause I will smack you in the mouth”.

The victim returned home about 6pm and the pair got into another argument before she announced they were over.

Baxter smashed a hanging frame, crushed his wedding ring, and then poured a Jack Daniels can over her head, bed and the walls.

He then bent the victim’s phone over his knee before she got the car keys and told her “you are not taking the f--king car”.

Baxter then bit the victim’s hand, attempting to snatch the keys out of her hand leaving red marks. When she left the home, he followed her to a petrol station and threw a bag and a present that was wrapped for his own birthday at her back.

She contacted police at the petrol station and Baxter was arrested later that evening.

In court on Wednesday, Baxter said he was “truly sorry” for his actions, and he knew his history did not help him.

“I am not going to stand here and make excuses for what I’ve done. I’ve been kicking myself,” he told the court.

“What I did was wrong … I am trying to straighten myself back out … I’ve minimised my drinking down to one day a week and I want to eliminate it completely eventually.”

Magistrate Mark Douglass said the offences were “serious examples” of domestic violence that occurred in the victim’s own home where she should feel safe.

“The courts must take a strong position, in my view, on domestic violence,” he said.

Magistrate Douglass sentenced Baxter to a nine-months intensive corrections order for the assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

For the other two matters, he will serve 18 months under a community corrections order. Baxter has been ordered to abstain from alcohol and to engage in mental health programs.

“I am satisfied you pose no risk to the victim or the community generally,” Magistrate Douglass said.

“But don’t walk out of here and think I haven’t sent you to prison and it’s not serious.”