Former Sebastopol concreter allegedly assaults woman in ‘violent outbursts’

An “unpredictable” Sebastopol concreter allegedly smothered a woman with a pillow, choked her, and punched her with “extreme force”, a court has heard.

A now-unemployed Sebastopol concreter is accused of repeatedly assaulting a woman. Photo: File

A former Sebastopol concreter allegedly made a woman fear for her life after several alleged “sustained assaults”, including smothering her with a pillow, a court has heard.

A now-unemployed 28-year-old applied for bail at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Thursday facing multiple charges of assault.

The man allegedly assaulted a woman repeatedly during “multiple violent outbursts”.

It is alleged that in May 2024, he was having drinks with the complainant and they got into an argument about whether he was buying drugs.

The woman tried to de-escalate the dispute, but the man allegedly punched the back of her neck.

In June, he allegedly went to the woman’s house in an “overly happy mood” and became enraged when she asked if he had taken drugs.

He allegedly pushed the complainant onto a couch and hit her about five times with a pillow “with force”.

He is accused of pushing the pillow into the victim’s face and grabbing the bridge of her nose and squeezing, stopping her from breathing.

The complainant did not lose consciousness.

The man also allegedly punched her thigh with “extreme force”, the court heard.

The woman told police she ran to the toilet and vomited from stress.

Later the same month, the man allegedly grabbed the woman’s throat, choked her, and hit her face.

He is accused of snatching money out of the complainant’s bag after he “gambled all his money away” in Wendouree.

The court heard the complainant told police she was “really fearful that he will kill me”.

“He’s very unpredictable,” she said.

“He could just do it. One punch to my head and I’ll be gone.

“I can see it in his eyes. He almost looks like he’s possessed.”

However, the complainant, concerned for the man's mental health, did not want him charged.

The court was told the man was a cocaine user and drank heavily.

It was said he lacked remorse and would likely contest the allegations.

Prosecutors said the man was an unacceptable risk of endangering someone’s welfare and of interfering with witnesses.

He was refused bail and will reappear at court on June 24.