Woman slept in car at Thirroul beach to flee drunk DV offender

Stephen Newton, a 55-year-old plumber from Theresa Park, faced Wollongong Local Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation.

Tendered court documents state an intoxicated Newton phoned the woman about 8.40pm on December 6, 2023 and asked her to pick him up from Beaches Hotel in Thirroul.

She arrived at the pub and tried to call out to Newton without drawing attention to herself, but one of his friends began verbally abusing her as he noticed her.

Newton left the pub and got in the car with the woman, where he raised his voice and called her a "psychopath" among several other insulting names.

She pulled over and Newton told her to "wake up to yourself" before slapping her across the forehead.

Once back at her home, the woman said Newton was no longer welcome there and that she would collect his belongings, however he walked inside and laid on the lounge.

She repeatedly asked him to leave but Newton struck her in the face, causing the woman to fall.

She felt her teeth move and her nose began to bleed.

Newton went into the woman's bedroom and got into her bed, continuing to ignore repeated requests to leave.

A tug of war with blankets began which resulted in the woman falling and hitting a bedside table.

She continued to ask him to leave, making it clear she no longer wanted him in her life.

Newton got out of the bed and pulled the woman to the floor, before he grabbed her again and began hitting her back and ribs, causing bruising.

She was also hit in the face and sustained a split lip. Newton went back to sleep while the woman was too afraid to phone police.

She ultimately fled to a nearby beach and slept in her car until about 8am.

The victim returned home where Newton was still sleeping and demanded that he leave.

He asked her to drop him to his vehicle, and walked off from her home verbally abusing her after she refused.

That night, police obtained a statement from the woman and took photographs of her injuries.

Newton sent the woman several text messages on December 9, including "if you contact moory, I'll tell him you're open slather".

After this message, she fled from her home, afraid Newton would turn up. He was arrested at Beaches Hotel that night.

Magistrate Mark Douglass said the matter was serious as it involved prolonged assaults, before adjourning it to May 10 for sentence.

An apprehended violence order was fixed for two years to protect the victim.