A Berkeley man wanted over the “attempting strangulation” of his pregnant girlfriend is among the first in the Illawarra to be charged by a newly-established police team targeting domestic violence.
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Officers attached to the new Southern Region Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Team arrested Harley Mitchell at his Hertford Street home on Tuesday morning, six weeks after he allegedly tried to strangle his partner twice during an argument at her Kanahooka home.
Court documents said the pair had been in an intimate relationship for a year and that the victim was currently three months pregnant with Mitchell’s child.
However, police will allege that didn’t stop him from wrapping his hands around her throat on the afternoon of September 29 after a fight over money.
The woman told police she begged Mitchell to stop, tried to push him off her and scratched him to the point one of her false nails broke, however he continued to squeeze at her neck.
She said he eventually let go of her throat, only to bite her shoulder so hard it broke her skin. She ran to the bathroom and locked the door, allegedly prompting Mitchell to punch a large hole in the door through which he continued to verbally abuse her.
When Mitchell eventually moved away from the door, the woman said she let herself out and tried to leave the house however Mitchell again grabbed her by the throat and attempted to choke her.
She told police when he let her go the second time she was too fearful to attempt a second escape.
She said she was able to contact her mother for help when Mitchell left the house about 30 minutes later.
She reported the incident to police later that afternoon.
A warrant was issued for Mitchell’s arrest after police could not locate him. He was apprehended on Tuesday and charged with a domestic violence offences.
He applied for bail in Wollongong Local Court late on Tuesday afternoon but it was refused due to fears for the safety of the alleged victim.
The case will return to court next month.