Justin Hofer charged at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court with assaulting woman in Kangaroo Flat

A Bendigo man allegedly savagely bashed a woman’s face in a car while she drove, before chasing her into an Aldi shopping centre.

Justin Hofer fronted Bendigo Magistrates’ Court charged with bashing a woman.

A Bendigo man allegedly savagely bashed a woman in a car while she drove, before chasing her down a street striking her in the face before she fled into an Aldi shopping centre

Justin Hofer, aged in his 30s, fronted Bendigo Magistrates’ Court charged with reckless cause injury, threat to inflict serious injury, drive disqualified and unlawful assault.

In December, 2023 police allege Mr Hofer pushed a woman to the ground and pinned her down with his body weight during a heated argument at a Bendigo address, leaving bruises on the victim’s chest, the court heard.

Later in December, Mr Hofer allegedly became “aggressive” after drinking at his parent’s Bendigo address and was kicked out by his mother.

As the woman was driving Mr Hofer down High St, Kangaroo Flat police allege he punched the woman in the face multiple times because she wouldn’t drive him to Melbourne.

Justin Hofer is charged with assaulting a woman in Bendigo. File image

The woman pulled over near Empire Harley Davidson and Mr Hofer allegedly said: “I will strangle you with my bare hands if you don’t shut up”.

The woman fled the car and Mr Hofer allegedly chased her down and punched her in the face in the middle of the street, leaving a bruise on her face.

The woman fled into the Kangaroo Flat Aldi and staff hid her in a back room.

Mr Hofer then got back in the car allegedly while “heavily intoxicated” and with a disqualifie licence and sped off at a high rate of speed in the gold Mazda 6.

Mr Hofer was arrested when police allegedly found him passed out in the carpark of Croydon Hospital on December 20.

When confronted with the allegations, Mr Hoffer claimed the woman was “having a schizophrenic episode” and the wounds were self-inflicted.

The court heard Mr Hofer was further charged with stealing a $55 uber eats order from his neighbour, which was allegedly caught on CCTV.

Justin Hofer appeared via video link from remand. File image

When he was confronted with the allegation by police he allegedly said he had not seen the food but was “sure it was very yummy”.

Mr Hofer, a former roof plumber, initially applied for bail, but withdrew the bid and sought a sentence indication for the alleged attack on the woman in Bendigo to see what the consequences would be if he took a plea deal.

His lawyer said there were “real issues” with the case against Mr Hofer, claiming the victim’s testimony was not credible because she had schizophrenia and drug psychosis.

His lawyer asked for a jail sentence of about four months if Mr Hofer pleaded guilty, having spent 55 days remanded in custody since his arrest.

Justin Hofer allegedly left bruises on the victim’s body after the alleged attack. File image

The court heard Mr Hofer had a “traumatic upbringing” and had battled with methamphetamine addiction since his early 20s.

His lawyer told the court Mr Hofer was suffering from “complex PTSD” after rendering CPR to a colleague who was trapped in a petrol tanker and suffocated to death from petrol fumes.

Magistrate Russell Kelly said Mr Hofer was facing a term of imprisonment of six months or less if he pleaded guilty.

“If you go and (allegedly) strike a woman like that in public, it’s just violent thuggish behaviour,” he said

“You’ve got to send a message … you’ve got to go to jail, mate.”

The matter was adjourned ahead of a contest mention in March.