Taree: Todd Hinton convicted of domestic violence assault, damage property

A young Taree man, grappling with heroin addiction after his brother’s suicide, has been sentenced for his role in a shocking domestic violence incident.

Taree Courthouse.

A young Taree man has been convicted after he assaulted the father of his ex-partner — later returning to the scene in such an angry state he lost control of his car, crashing into a vehicle and destroying a letterbox.

Todd Hinton appeared before Magistrate Walker at Taree Local Court on November 7, who told the court Hinton has a “lengthy record for a young person” and that he took domestic violence “incredibly seriously”.

The 33-year-old has spent the last five months in custody after being arrested on May 30 following the incident in Taree on May 28.

Taree Local Court heard Hinton, 33, went to his ex-partner’s home to see his children but when he was told they were not there he became angry and started shouting.

When the woman’s father came out to tell him to stop shouting, Hinton punched him in the face.

Hinton’s lawyer told the court he was “highly regretful” of his actions but never intended to assault the man and described it more like a “tap to the chin” at the lower range of seriousness.

It was also heard in court that a female family member there at the time used a golf stick to hit Hinton’s windscreen and when Hinton drove away from the scene and realised the damage, he turned around and drove back angrily, losing control of his car and crashing into another vehicle and destroying a letterbox.

Mr Walker told the court Hinton’s actions were typical of somebody suffering from a mental illness but Hinton’s lawyer said there was no evidence of an official diagnosis to present to the court.

His lawyer did tell the court that Hinton was struggling with heroin addiction at the time of the incident and that his drug use was sparked by the suicide of his brother in September last year.

The court also heard that during his five months remanded in custody he had spent 55 days in lockdown, with much of it due to strike action, and was assaulted by a prison officer leaving him with an injured shoulder.

In addition to the assault and stalk and intimidate charges he was also up on charges of possessing a prohibited weapon but his lawyer argued these were knives already in his possession used for fishing.

In relation to two common assault (domestic violence) charges he was given a 12-month prison sentence, back dated to when he was first remanded in custody on May 30. With a nine-month non-parole period he will be eligible for release on February 28 next year.

Hinton showed little emotion when the verdict was given, appearing in front of the court via audiovisual link sitting quietly in handcuffs and prison greens.

For driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous- first offence he was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined $800.

He was fined $200 for each of the destroy/damage property charges.

A plea of guilty was accepted and he was convicted of the following charges with no penalty being imposed:

- Not give particulars to owner of damaged property

- Stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (domestic)

- Two charges of possessing or use a prohibited weapon without permit