Oakleigh East artist Telemahos Tabakovic, 45, jailed for series of ice-fuelled attacks on woman
AN ICE-addicted sculptor and painter who choked, kicked and bashed his former partner in a series of “vile and despicable” acts has sobbed as he was jailed for seven months.
South East
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AN ICE-addicted artist who choked, kicked and bashed his former partner in a series of “vile and despicable” acts has been jailed for seven months.
Telemahos Tabakovic, 45, of Oakleigh East, pleaded guilty to a slew of serious assault, handling stolen goods, firearms and theft charges at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 17.
The court heard Tabakovic, a sculptor and painter who had worked at the National Gallery of Victoria, was in a relationship with the woman last year.
While high on, or coming down from, ice he went on several rampages, punching her, spitting at her and hitting her head onto a concrete floor, causing her to black out.
He also kicked her in the stomach, telling her she would never have children, and forced a tomato sauce bottle in her mouth, causing her to choke, and called her a whore.
She told police the assaults had been happening on a monthly basis and she was “sore, from all the beatings”.
In June he was caught by police trying to sell on Gumtree $10,000 worth of model trains and cars stolen from Niddrie — using his own account and phone number.
In July he and an accomplice stole a handbag from a parked car in Doncaster, taking a handbag, sunglasses, shoes and an iPad, which were later recovered at his home.
And in August in a search of his house a homemade firearm was found, which police later analysed to be capable of firing bullets.
On October 4 she called police after he attacked her again; he walked away but police found him 200m away from his Oakleigh East home and arrested him.
His defence lawyer said the abusive behaviour was in a context of escalating drug use, and he was now clean.
Magistrate Anne Goldsbrough described the violence as “vile and despicable”.
“These (attacks) were significant, sustained and horrific; they were humiliating,” Ms Goldsbrough said.
“You behaved in an appalling way; she thought you might kill her.”
Tabakovic sobbed in court as he was given a seven-month jail term, minus 105 days already served, and he must undertake a 14-month community corrections order upon release.