Charges dropped against Bendigo woman who threw boiling water on her abuser in self defence

Charges have been dropped against a Bendigo woman who threw boiling water on her abuser during a domestic violence assault.

Criminal charges have been dropped against a Bendigo woman who threw boiling water on a man who abused her.

Charges have been dropped against a Bendigo woman who threw boiling water on her abuser.

The Bendigo Magistrates Court on Wednesday heard the 57-year-old woman was making a cup of tea when an argument with her abuser turned into a “scuffle”.

The woman told police she tried to get away when he “came at her”, but he caught her and assaulted her.

The 57-year-old woman threw boiling water on the man in an act of self defence, the court heard.

The woman knew her abuser had a history of assault and violence against women which “added to her fear” and she threw the boiling water on him in a desperate act of self defence, the court heard.

Her lawyer argued there was evidence of the abuser’s attack on the woman visible on body-worn camera footage of the responding police officer.

The facts of the case were disputed, with the man and woman giving different accounts of what occurred, but Magistrate Trieu Huynh said he was inclined to believe the evidence of the woman.

Police applied to withdraw the charges and the matter was concluded.