Joshua Adrian Bignill pleads guilty at Coffs Harbour court to intimidation

A Coffs Harbour man who pleaded guilty to assault and intimidation has been told he has no insight into his offending, or the nature of domestic violence. Here’s what happened.

Coffs Harbour Local Court heard the victim locked herself in the bathroom and dialled triple-0.

A Coffs Harbour man has been jailed after his terrified partner fled down the hallway of her home, locked herself in the toilet and dialled triple-0.

Magistrate Roger Prowse slammed Joshua Adrian Bignill of Sandy Beach for downplaying his domestic violence offending.

Bignill pleaded guilty to common assault, intimidation and contravening an apprehended violence order (AVO).

A heated row took place at a North Boambee Valley address on April 13, 2021.

Court documents state the 30-year-old scaffolder was asleep on the couch when his partner arrived home about noon.

Bignill thought she called him names like “fleabag” and a heated verbal argument ensued, police state in the documents.

The woman walked out of the home and Bignill followed.

Toilets are often the only lockable room in a home for victims fleeing domestic violence, Magistrate Roger Prowse said.

Feeling she was unable to get away, the woman went back inside, walked down the hall and was hit in the back of the head by a pen thrown by Bignill.

The woman made it to the toilet, locked the door and phoned Triple triple-0, as Bignell asked her to come out and speak with him.

At Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday, Magistrate Roger Prowse said victims of domestic violence often retreated to the toilet as it was often the only room in a house where the door could be locked from the inside.

“You’re making it out like I hit her or something,” Bignill told the court.

Bignill’s lawyer has filed a notice of appeal over the sentence.

Mr Prowse said: “You have no insight of domestic violence by that comment”.

He said threats could be deemed more seriously than physical assaults by the law.

Mr Prowse said Bignill’s behaviour was “beyond the pale” and the defendant previously offended against the same woman.

The magistrate also cast doubt on a letter of support for Bignill written by the victim.

Mr Prowse said it smacked of ‘Stockholm syndrome’, in which “the victim of abuse becomes a supporter of the abuser”.

The court heard Bignill previously offended against the woman.

Bignill was sentenced to 18 months in jail with a non-parole period of 10 months.

Mr Prowse also granted an AVO for the protection of the victim.

Bignill’s defence lawyer Carlo Bianchino has lodged a notice of appeal due to the severity of the penalty.

Originally published as Joshua Adrian Bignill pleads guilty at Coffs Harbour court to intimidation