Cop basher Isaiah Stephens charged with choking woman unconscious in brutal assault

A thug who dodged jail for bashing a top brass Victorian cop allegedly choked a woman unconscious and ripped her hair out during a horrific assault.

A Melbourne thug who bashed a top Victorian cop has been charged over the brutal attack of a woman that allegedly lasted for hours.

Isaiah Stephens, 23, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with unlawful assault and strangling the woman, reckless conduct placing her “in danger of death”.

Police allege Stephens — who pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury in 2020 after he and his brother Jay bashed former Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Chris O’Neill on the grounds of the elite St Kevin’s school — got into an argument with the woman on June 24 at her Flemington home over her going to a friend’s house before allegedly beginning a horrific night of abuse.

Isaiah Stephens outside the County Court. Picture: James Ross.

Stephens allegedly followed the woman into her bedroom sometime after midnight and started to punch her in the ribs before grabbing her by the hair and dragging her into the lounge room.

After he stopped the woman returned to her bedroom and sent a message to her friend via Snapchat asking her to call the police.

Stephens allegedly followed her where he grabbed her throat and forced her against the wall, strangling her.

Police allege the woman tried to knee Stephens in the groin to escape and tried to scream while Stephens said “shut up, shut up”.

Isaiah Stephens was remanded in custody after allegedly brutally attacking a woman.

Police allege Stephens strangled her into unconsciousness before again dragging her by the hair into the lounge room before grabbing a knife.

He allegedly told her to “lay down, dog” and started slapping her on both sides of her face.

Stephens then allegedly then sat on top of her and started to slap both her thighs while she tried to escape him.

The exhausted woman fell asleep sometime after 4am and later escaped the home and hid in a nearby carpark at 10am for four hours while she waited for police to arrive.

Officers found the woman at about 2.40pm covered in bruises on her neck, arms and face with a large chunk of hair ripped out.

The court heard negotiations around a plea deal had fallen through and Stephens would be likely contesting the charges at a hearing in the Magistrates’ Court with the case set to return in September.

Isaiah Stephens leaving Melbourne Magistrate Court in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling.

Mr O’Neill was off duty when he followed the duo after they got off a train at nearby Heyington station.

The brothers were being loud and abusive on a train and Mr O’Neill was worried they would damage property or hurt someone.

Mr O’Neill came upon Jay Stephens urinating on a tree inside the grounds of the elite St Kevin’s school at Toorak.

An image tendered to the court depicting injuries received by police Assistant Commissioner Chris O'Neill after he was bashed by Jay and Isaiah Stephens on June 15, 2019. Picture: Supplied.

Jay Stephens said: “What are you looking at you old c***?” before attacking him.

Isaiah Stephens, who was 19 at the time, joined in and the brothers began kicking and punching Mr O’Neill in the face, head, back and torso.

Mr O’Neill was left with broken ribs, bleeding on the brain and in the chest, and was off work for several months after the attack.

Victorian County Court Judge Paul Lacava jailed Jay Stephens for 20 months while Isaiah Stevens was ordered to serve a two-and-half-year community corrections order.