Ross James Foran, 36, had been in a relationship with the woman for about six months when he subjected her to a series of violent episodes at his former home in Robertson in mid-June last year.

Wollongong Local Court heard Foran had rummaged through the woman’s bag while she was asleep and taken her mobile phone but had not been able to access it due to a screen lock being in place.

When she woke, Foran demanded she unlock the phone, prompting a heated argument to occur. This soon turned physical when Foran punched and kicked the woman and grabbed her left wrist, twisting it in a bid to make her let go of the phone.

Foran managed to obtain the device and refused to give it back to the woman for the next two days.

She said each time she asked for the phone to be returned Foran bashed her. She said without the phone she was unable to contact anyone to pick her up.

In one abusive incident, Foran picked up a 2ltr milk bottle and hurled it at her, hitting her in the back. Another time he grabbed her around the throat.

The woman said she eventually escaped the house and walk to the local shops, where she used a stranger’s phone to contact her mother, who came and picked her up.

The two women went straight to Lake Illawarra Police Station to report the assaults. Foran was arrested later that evening after attending the police station voluntarily.

Foran was charged with three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to the charges in Wollongong Local Court last week and was sentenced to nine months jail with a six-month non parole period

He lodged a severity appeal and sought release on bail in the interim, however the application was denied, meaning he will stay in custody until the appeal is heard in Wollongong District Court, likely next month.