Justin Sharpe pleads guilty to assault

A magistrate has slammed a tyre fitter after a court heard he grabbed his on-and-off girlfriend around the neck and pushed her against a cupboard after a day out on the beers.

A Wagga tyre fitter has narrowly avoided full-time prison after he assaulted his on-and-off girlfriend in her own home after she refused to let him inside the property because he was drunk.

Justin Luke Sharpe, 31, pleaded guilty at Wagga Local Court to assault, after he gained entry into his estranged partner’s home and grabbed her around the throat during a fight.

The court heard on June 6, Sharpe was contacting his on-and-off girlfriend via text message, when she realised he had been drinking she told him that “he was not welcome to stay at her place for the night.”

Around 8pm, Sharpe turned up and was refused entry but managed to get inside by convincing someone else to open the door.

Justin Luke Sharpe pleaded guilty to assault. Picture: Facebook

Sharpe and the woman began arguing and he took her phone from her, grabbed her around the throat and pushed her into a cabinet that was behind her, according to court documents.

Court facts state Sharpe held this position for about “30 seconds” before the woman fought back and grabbed a set of keys from her pocket and struck his cheek, causing him to let go.

Sharpe then told the victim he was going to bed and to “contact the police” if she wanted to.

Magistrate Christopher Halburd slammed Shape’s offending as “troubling behaviour” and said he was a “repeat domestic violence offender.”

“It is just so typical and pathetic to grab the phone off a female,” Mr Halburd said.

“People need to know that when you grab someone around the neck, it is a choking charge and that is a very serious charge.”

Magistrate Halburd warned Sharpe people shouldn’t feel threatened and attacked inside their own home.

“As a repeat domestic violence offender, you should be sentenced to jail, if you make any further offences within the next 12 months, then the next judge up here is likely to put you straight inside.

“You have taken some steps to assist in your drinking, this sounds like it is somewhat of a wakening call,” Mr Halburd said.

Sharpe was fined $500 and placed on a 12-month community corrections order..