Dennis Kelly sentenced for serious domestic violence charges

A man who choked a woman three times, repeatedly punched her in the head, pulled her hair, kneed her body and intimidated her during several violent and terrifying arguments has been sentenced.

Dennis Kelly, 29, was sentenced for multiple domestic violence offences in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A man who choked a woman three times, repeatedly punched her in the head, kneed her body and intimidated her during violent and terrifying arguments has avoided jail.

Dennis Kelly, 29, was sentenced for multiple domestic violence offences in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday.

Agreed facts tendered to court said the Peakhurst man got into an argument with a woman in June 2021 where he struck her with an open palm in the head, causing pain before he put both hands around her neck, squeezed and yelled “shut up” but she fought back and scratched his face.

Kelly let go and he spat blood onto her face.

A short time later, the woman was laying on a bed when Kelly again began to choke her before he bit down on her hand.

Dennis Kelly, 29, was sentenced for multiple domestic violence offences in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Kelly then punched her in the head and leg, causing immediate pain, and large yellow bruises and lumps developed on her head and leg.

A couple of days later, the couple got into an argument about infidelity but the next morning the woman made Kelly breakfast as an apology.

Kelly was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court.

Kelly threw the breakfast onto the floor and made the woman clean it up before he smashed a portable heater near her.

While the woman was on the floor cleaning up, Kelly used his knee to strike her in the head, before he threw her into furniture, documents said.

She began to leave and Kelly started punching her on top of her head at least four times, causing immediate man.

The woman went to police and received treatment for lumps to her head before Kelly was arrested.

During a police interview, Kelly admitted he slapped her and was “forceful” but said it was in self defence before denying he choked her or caused bruises, documents said.

Kelly was granted bail and was served an apprehended violence order preventing him from contacting and assaulting the woman but on December 5 Kelly was at the woman’s house.

She went outside, fearing Kelly, but had to go back inside and a short time later Kelly grabbed her hair and pulled her down onto the ground where he straddled her and struck her in the body with his knee at least three times.

Later, Kelly grabbed and squeezed the woman’s throat before he pinched her on the ear very hard and punched her on the head.

Throughout the assault, Kelly called her derogatory names about her appearance, documents said.

The woman called a family member to pick her up. She sustained lumps to her head, swelling and pain to her ear, nose, neck and ribs. She reported the assaults to police and Kelly was arrested on December 6.

Kelly pleaded guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentionally choking a person without consent, destroying property, intimidation, and contravening an AVO.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said Kelly was not an “upstanding person in the home” but acknowledged the progress he had made with the rehabilitation program Wayback.

Mr Donnelly rejected the idea Kelly was acting in self defence nor that he committed the acts of violence because of drug addiction.

He noted there was a “real risk” to the woman’s safety should they be in a relationship again, noting an AVO “did not stop him”.

Mr Donnelly, taking into account the time Kelly spent in custody and in rehabilitation, imposed a jailed sentence to be served in the community.

Kelly was sentenced to an intensive correction order for 28 months where he must strictly abide by the AVO, do anger management programs, complete 400 hours of community service and not take illicit drugs.