Ricky Bourke handed 15-month jail sentence after attack on woman
A south coast man has been jailed after an argument with a former partner spiralled out of control.
The South Coast News
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A south coast man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after a vicious assault on a former partner that left her with a black eye and facial bruising.
Ricky John Bourke, 35, of Bega pleaded guilty to common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm, breaching a domestic apprehended violence order and damaging property in Bega Local Court on November 18.
Local Court Magistrate Doug Dick described Bourke’s relationship with his former partner as “toxic”.
“You have a history of making the wrong decisions from time to time,” Magistrate Dick told Bourke, who appeared via audio visual link from the South Coast Correctional Facility, during sentencing.
A visibly upset Bourke told Magistrate Dick he had been taking steps to “fix all the mess-ups” in his life before the offences.
His lawyer, Innes Chiuemento, told the court her client had been “diligent” in getting help for his drug and violence issues, and had not committed a violent offence since 2016.
She told the court his former partner had returned to his life, and had been staying at his home despite being asked multiple times to leave.
She said Bourke had admitted his guilt to avoid a lengthy hearing, and while he agreed he did injure the woman, he claimed he was provoked after she refused to drive him to an appointment in Pambula.
“He is very upset he had ended up in custody,” Ms Chiumento told the court. She requested Bourke avoid jail and be placed on an intensive corrections order.
Court documents reveal Bourke and his former partner had both been placed on apprehended violence orders in May and were living in separate homes on the same property outside town.
The documents reveal on the day of the assault, the pair had driven to Bega before Bourke got aggressive and ordered her to drive to his father’s home.
Bourke began pushing her in the chest from the passenger’s seat, before Bourke’s father told them both to “clear off”. His father later told police Bourke had called the woman a “s***, b****, c****”.
Bourke, then outside the car, punched the vehicle before his former partner drove home.
When Bourke later returned home he continued to abuse her before they were both injured in a struggle. The woman was left with a black eye and swelling and bruising to her face.
Bourke then picked up a rock before throwing it at the bonnet of her car, damaging it. When told police were on their way, Bourke left with an unknown man before being arrested back at the home the following morning and held in custody without bail.
Bourke was also disqualified from driving until 2024 for driving while disqualified, and ordered to pay compensation of $2366 for the damaged car.
He will be paroled on February 9 next year.
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