Kevin Andrew Winter from Pappinbarra sentenced for violence, choking

A woman was so scared she’d be killed by her violent partner that she left letters outlining her horrific ordeal if people came looking for her body at their remote property.

Port Macquarie court heard that Kevin Andrew Winter is a well-respected member of his local RFS brigade. Picture: Nathan Edwards

A woman was so scared her partner was going to kill her, that she left letters in a wardrobe outlining her terrible ordeal if people eventually came looking for her body at the remote property where they lived.

Port Macquarie Local Court heard that Kevin Andrew Winter’s victim was totally reliant on him for money and trips into town as she didn’t have a car or licence.

Magistrate Georgina Darcy told the court Winter had also broken the victim’s phone, when delivering his sentence on Monday, describing it as “her only way of communicating with the outside world”.

Winter showed “nil remorse” continuing to deny his crimes between March 2022 and January 2023 at his property at the small town of Pappinbarra west of Wauchope where the couple lived together for a number of years, Ms Darcy told the court.

Kevin Andrew Winter at Port Macquarie Local Court on January 29 for sentencing for a range of violence matters including choking.

Winter was arrested on February 2 last year and spent three weeks remanded in custody at Kempsey before being released on what his lawyer described as very strict bail conditions; not able to enter Port Macquarie or go to Bunnings to get supplies for his farm.

The 53-year-old pleaded not guilty to nine charges including choking and assault occasioning actual bodily harm but Ms Darcy found the offences proven after a “lengthy hearing which required the victim to be cross examined over two days”.

During one of the assaults which took place between March 1 and March 31 2022, Winter put his victim in a headlock and pulled her to the ground and punched her.

In relation to the choking charge, Ms Darcy found that Winter had placed one or two hands around the victim’s neck and squeezed until she fell to the ground and blacked out.

In addition to choking and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, he was found guilty of two counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm; three counts of common assault; and destroying property.

Winter’s lawyer tendered references to the court, attesting to his good character and outlining that he is a well respected member of the local Rural Fire Service brigade.

However, Ms Darcy said “this only goes to show, people don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors”.

His lawyer told the court that Winter grew vegetables for his neighbours as a “community effort”.

Winter was supported in court by his mother who had to be told by the magistrate to stop whispering in her son’s ear during the sentencing.

For all nine offences Winter was given an aggregate sentence of two years imprisonment to be served in the community by way of an intensive corrections order and to perform 100 hours of community service.

Originally published as Kevin Andrew Winter from Pappinbarra sentenced for violence, choking