By Perry Duffin and Sally Rawsthorne
The man who led police to the body of his partner in his eastern suburbs apartment had just been released on parole after savagely beating her in the same room earlier this year.
Shane Tucker has not been charged over the death of Christine Dawson, 66, who was found dead with head injuries in the ground-floor Astoria Circuit unit in Maroubra on Monday.
Christine Dawson (centre) was found dead in a Maroubra apartment on Monday; police investigating the scene.Credit: Nine News
The 50-year-old called emergency services and police arrested him at the scene for breaching an AVO involving another woman, known by the initials HM for legal reasons, after he had contacted her that day.
Forensic tests are now under way, including a post-mortem on Dawson, to determine what caused the death of the New Zealand-born grandmother, and where the investigation will lead.
Vision from the scene on Monday showed specialist forensics investigators combing through rubbish bins at the unit block.
The Herald can reveal Tucker was released on parole in August for bashing Dawson in the apartment.
Waverley Local court in June heard Dawson and Tucker had been in a relationship for years and had no children or AVOs.
Forensics investigators comb through rubbish bins at the Maroubra unit block.Credit: Nine
But Dawson’s sister had confronted Tucker at his Astoria Circuit apartment and told him to get out of Dawson’s life.
Tucker was furious and punched out a window before turning on Dawson, hitting and kicking her in the head repeatedly, the court heard.
She was left bloodied and bruised, with both eyes swelling shut, before police arrived.
The court heard unemployed Tucker was well known to police.
The magistrate sentenced Tucker to nine months in prison for his attack on Dawson, set a non-parole period of five months, and imposed a two-year ADVO.
That order prohibited Tucker from assaulting, threatening or stalking Dawson, as well as stopping him from contacting her while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Dawson’s problems with alcohol and drugs were such that the magistrate deemed his “special circumstances”.
Tucker was released from prison in early August.
The case is likely to reignite debate about protections for domestic violence victims.
The NSW government this year strengthened bail laws for domestic violence offenders after the death of Molly Ticehurst, allegedly at the hands of her partner.
Alleged abusers will be required to wear electronic monitoring bracelets on bail, among other restrictions on release.
On Tuesday, Tucker did not appear at Waverley Local Court after breaching the AVO protecting HM.
Tucker allegedly approached HM as she stood on the intersection of Anzac Road in Maroubra at 10am on Monday, where he told her something had happened to Dawson, sources have told the Herald.
It’s alleged the pair travelled by bus to his Astoria Circuit home, where HM saw Dawson dead on Tucker’s bed. It was then that emergency services were called.
Tucker’s lawyer did not apply for bail, and Tucker will reappear in the same court next week.
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