A Berkeley man has confessed to punching his ex-partner in the face while wearing a ring containing a raised bottle opener, leaving the woman with permanent scarring.
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Paul David Wood was subject to a two-year apprehended domestic violence order barring him from intimidating or laying a hand on his ex-partner when he lashed out at her inside her Port Kembla home on the evening of March 19 last year.
He'd been asleep inside the home when the victim woke him up around 6pm, prompting him to become angry and start yelling at her.
The woman told Wood to leave and he responded "alright, that's it, I'm going, I'm leaving the f--king house."
He continued to verbally abuse the victim whole collecting some of his property.
He then approached her as she sat on the lounge. She lifted her arm up to protect herself and Wood bit her on the forearm, leaving a red mark.
He then hit her in the face - his raised ring connecting with her right eye.
Blood began to pour from a gash above her eye and the victim asked Wood to call her father as she couldn't unlock her mobile phone because of the amount of blood on her hands.
Wood's parents arrived a short time later to pick him up. The victim's mother arrived a short time after that and rang emergency services.
The victim was taken to Shellharbour Hospital where she was diagnosed with fractures to her nose and eye socket.
She was transferred to Wollongong Hospital and underwent surgery to wash out and repair lacerations to her nose and right eye, both of which required stitches.
She was referred to a plastic surgeon and underwent a further medical procedure on March 29, police said.
Meanwhile, Wood was arrested on March 21 at a home in Unanderra and remanded in custody.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless wounding after a more serious charge was withdrawn in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.
Court documents said the victim required ongoing treatment for blurred vision and now lives with a scar above her right eye.
Doctors have advised her she may have to undergo further surgery in the future.
Wood remains in custody and will face sentencing in Wollongong District Court on February 7.