Julian Sebastiao convicted over glassing girlfriend Delia Fernandez

A young woman has described the horror of watching her partner go from ‘boyfriend of the year’ to leaving her dripping in blood in their Parramatta apartment.

Joanne Vella

@Parramatta_News

5 min read

February 23, 2021 - 6:00AM

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When convicted attacker Julian Sebastiao hurled a whisky glass at his girlfriend he was more concerned with blaming her and concealing the violent attack than rendering assistance.

She was bleeding profusely and left with crippling pain in their Parramatta apartment but the 23-year-old Optus data technician Sebastiao told her “this is your fault”.

Sebastiao fronted Parramatta Local Court for sentencing on Wednesday after pleading guilty to common assault and grievous bodily harm after the horrific May 26, 2020, attack that left Delia Fernandez with permanent scars.

The court heard the glassing caused a 5cm wound, permanent scars on her cheek near her left eye and several other lacerations to her face.

Julian Sebastiao (centre) leaves Parramatta Local Court after being convicted of glassing his former partner.

She required surgery after her boyfriend of one year flew into a rage when they were lying in bed and she made a remark about his friend.

“He was trying to talk to me about men in general,’’ Ms Fernandez said after the sentence.

“He was saying of the whole male population, (not) one wanted to be my friend or family member, and said they saw me as a piece of meat and I laughed and said ‘That’s how your brain works’?’’

When he discussed her female friends hypothetically being attracted to Sebastiao, the conversation escalated.

“I’m not an insecure person at all and he always hated that,’’ Ms Fernandez said. “He was getting frustrated that I wasn’t getting jealous.’’

A fleeting joke about one of his mates caused Ms Fernandez’s world to implode.

Delia Fernandez’s horrific injuries after surgery.

Delia Fernandez's ex-boyfriend Julian Sebastiao was convicted and sentenced on February 18, 2021.

Sebastiao grabbed her shirt with both hands, pushed himself on to her and leaned on her chest.

Ms Fernandez initially thought her boyfriend, who she had been living with at the Macquarie St block for just two months, was joking until she couldn’t breathe.

When he eventually released her, he began pacing near the dining table, according to police facts tendered to the court.

“He stated ‘I’m sorry and this is your fault’.’’

Police facts state Ms Fernandez lobbed a TV remote control towards Sebastiao, but she later said it was a nudge with the device, before he threw the 10cm tall glass at her face 2m away.

It shattered on impact and caused a 5cm laceration to her left cheek about 0.5cm deep.

It also caused a 1.5cm laceration to her left eyebrow and multiple superficial lacerations to the left side of her face.

She was left bleeding profusely with blood on her clothing and bed.

“I saw the horror in his eyes after,’’ Ms Fernandez said following the sentencing.

“I lost everything in one night. He was my only family. Within one night I had no face, no boyfriend, no family, no home. My home was a crime scene.’’

Delia Fernandez (right) was glassed by her partner Julian Sebastiao at Parramatta in May 2020. Picture: Instagram

Sebastiao refused to call an ambulance and picked her up, removed her bloodied clothing and put her into the shower in an attempt to wash the blood off her, according to police facts.

He then caused her more pain when he tried to wipe her wounds before helping dress her when she came out of the shower but turned the mirrors in the unit around so Ms Fernandez could not see her face.

“He kept saying he was sorry and blaming the victim,’’ the court papers state.

Sebastiao kept Ms Fernandez’s mobile phone from her and eventually called his mum, who told him to call the ambulance but the victim sat in a corner of the home in pain while they waited for her to arrive.

The apartment block where the bloodied crime happened.

Julian Sebastiao and Delia Fernandez on their one-year anniversary, 10 days before he glassed her.

He pulled the blood-soaked sheets off the bed and his mum washed her wounds and “possibly removed glass from the victim’s eye”.

“His mum was horrified that night, absolutely horrified,’’ Ms Fernandez said.

Sebastiao insisted Ms Fernandez switch jackets with his mother and pull the hood over her head so no one could see her leave the building’s lobby.

Instead of guiding her to hospital, a friend picked up Sebastiao and his mother took her to Westmead Hospital, where her wounds were flushed five times to try to remove any remaining glass and, two days later, she underwent surgery to stitch her left eyebrow and cheek together.

In court on Wednesday, Sebastiao was surrounded by family and friends.

Magistrate Rodney Brender said the crime was inexplicable.

“This is a violent assault in her own home,’’ he said.

“This level of domestic violence is completely unacceptable in the community.’’

He convicted Sebastiao and sentenced him to a 15-month intensive correction which allows him to serve it in the community.

He was fined $700 and ordered to complete 200 hours community service.

FROM ‘BOYFRIEND OF THE YEAR’ TO ATTACKER

Ms Fernandez met Sebastiao at the Ivy when he walked up to her and told her they were going to get married. She was not interested but two months later they crossed paths when they were collecting friends as designated drivers at a party and a “charismatic and charming’’ Sebastiao’s persistence saw them become a couple.

“He would bring me a warm towel after my shower. He would visit work every day. He would bring me duck pancakes one day, and Chinese, and everyone thought he was amazing. We were best friends but he didn’t want me in the office socialising with the boys.

“He was boyfriend of the year for the first eight to 10 months and then the aggression started.’’

The couple lived with Sebastiao’s family in Harrington Park and while Ms Fernandez got on well with his parents and brothers, she felt isolated and wanted to move closer to friends and work to save more than an hour of commuting to and from her office.

Julian Sebastiao and Delia Fernandez were a couple for a year before the attack.

Ms Fernandez said he had a violent outburst outside an open home inspection at Parramatta that caused her to flee. She had grown up in an abusive household and violence was a deal-breaker.

The couple eventually reunited, undertook therapy and moved in together on March 28.

After the brutal attack, Ms Fernandez watched videos of domestic violence victims online and was struck at how her situation was not unique.

She also posted a message about her experience on Instagram and was shocked how many young women were in abusive relationships.

Ms Fernandez sought help at the WASH House and now hopes to assist the online community by starting a formal organisation where women experiencing domestic violence can be referred to professional services for support.

She also wants to drive a message urging women to become independent, such as when she put money aside and signed a lease for a studio apartment instead of a two-bedroom unit in case she would have to leave Sebastiao again.

“Gaining your independence is the main message I would give to any woman, even if it is on the sly,’’ Ms Fernandez said.

“It’s not as easy as leaving, because people get killed in the act of leaving. I can’t believe how many girls message me and say ‘Our lease ends in six months and I’ll leave then’.’’

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