Augusto Gerocarni Putrino sentenced for domestic assault

A Sydney realtor who assaulted his then-partner and broke her phone in an argument about a passport has been ordered into anger management by a magistrate.

Augusto Gerocarni Putrino.

An eastern suburbs realtor who slapped his former partner and bruised her face during an argument about a passport will have to undergo anger management.

Augusto Gerocarni Putrino pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm over an incident at his Bondi Junction address in June 2022.

The court was further asked to consider charges of common assault and malicious damage related to the same incident on sentence.

“The victim and the accused engaged in a verbal argument in relation to complications with the victim’s passport application for an upcoming holiday,” court documents state.

“During the argument, the accused grabbed the wrist of the victim, which resulted in her mobile phone falling to the ground and the mobile phone was damaged.”

Police say the woman then attempted to slap Putrino in an ensuing scuffle, with Putrino using his arms to protect himself.

The woman has not been charged with any offences.

“The accused struck the victim in the face with an open palm, resulting in a bruise to the right side of the victim’s face,” the court documents state

Putrino’s counsel Mr Green told the court his client had bought his then-partner a new phone in recognition of his responsibility for her phone smashing.

The Downing Centre court complex. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

At Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson said the court and the community condemned domestic violence.

“It’s not acceptable – what exactly was achieved?” Ms Atkinson asked.

“You should have just walked away and let things calm down … and then discussions can continue.”

Ms Atkinson acknowledged Putrino’s guilty plea had prevented the victim needing to come to court, that his references spoke highly of him and that he had no criminal record.

“You struck her to the face with an open palm – that should not have occurred, you should have just walked away,” Ms Atkinson said.

“You can’t react that way – we can’t forget (your former partner), she had her phone broken, she was slapped to the face and there was a bruise.

“We can’t forget she is the victim in this and domestic violence is wrong.”

Putrino was sentenced to a two-year supervised conditional release order without conviction.

He will be required to undertake anger management courses as a condition of the order.

Putrino further consented to a five-year apprehended violence order which prevents him from committing any offences against his ex, contacting her, or approaching any place that she lives or works.