Wade Delphin: Wodonga groundskeeper punched partner in head while she was driving

A Wodonga groundskeeper has escaped jail after he brutally bashed his partner while she was driving.

Wade Delphin pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm in Albury Local Court on Monday.

A Wodonga groundskeeper has escaped jail after he bashed his partner in the head while she was driving, a court has heard.

Wade Anthony Delphin pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm in Albury Local Court on Monday.

Court documents reveal the victim picked Delphin up from his work about 1.15pm on January 25 2021.

As the pair drove towards the East Albury IGA they started arguing when the victim hit Delphin in the face, causing him to spill his beer.

Delphin then punched the victim three times to the left side of her face.

A witness who was driving towards the victim’s silver Holden Astra noticed the vehicle’s “awkward movement” and saw Delphin hitting the victim.

The witness followed the silver Astra to an East Albury home while calling Triple-0.

When police arrived the victim’s left eye was swollen shut, her nose and lip were bleeding and her shirt was wet with blood.

When police asked what happened the victim said: “I had an accident”.

Delphin said: “Just tell them the truth”.

Delphin was arrested and the victim was taken to Albury Base Hospital for X-rays.

Delphin’s defence solicitor said he conceded the assault would have been both physically and emotional traumatising for the victim, but there had been some provocation on the victim’s behalf.

He said his client had shown a lot of remorse and insight into his offending, and hadn’t offended for more than 20 years.

“He’s been on bail since January and there have been no further offences,” Delphin’s solicitor said.

Magistrate Richard Funston said the only reason he wasn’t sending Delphin to jail was because of his guilty plea, and because he hadn’t offended since 1999.

“If you had committed further offences for the last 20 years I would have locked you up,” Mr Funston said.

Delphin was sentenced to a nine-month intensive corrections order with supervision. He was also ordered to complete the Men’s Behaviour Change Program.