Prominent Illawarra restaurateur Daniel Dafkovski has confessed to trying to strangle his estranged wife and posting an intimate photo of her on social media.
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Dafkovski, who is in custody without bail, pleaded guilty to three charges in Wollongong Local Court on Monday - intentionally choking, distributing an intimate image and contravening an apprehended violence order.
Documents tendered to the court reveal Dafkovski and his estranged wife were at their Coniston home on the evening of December 5 last year when they got into a heated conversation and Dafkovski began calling the woman derogatory names.
The woman tried to send a text message to Dafkovski's mother about the argument but instead sent it to her husband accidentally, prompting the 30-year-old father of two to fly into a rage.
He jumped onto the bed, straddled his wife, who was laying down, wrapped his hands around her throat and started trying to strangle her.
The woman later told police she couldn't breath for about 30 seconds, however was able to scream for help when Dafkovski moved his hands to change his grip.
A neighbour heard the commotion and banged on the bedroom wall, prompting Dafkovski to let go of his wife's neck. He then dragged her onto the landing and pushed her down a set of stairs inside the home.
The woman was taken in by the neighbour until her family came to collect her.
She reported the incident to police on January 6 and Dafkovski was arrested and charged.
He was released on conditional bail, however Dafkovski subsequently posted an image of the victim in her underwear on his Facebook profile, leading to his re-arrest later that month.
Dafkovski will face court for sentencing on July 21.
Dafkovski comes from a prominent hospitality family and is well-known for his involvement with multiple restaurants around the Illawarra, including Para at Thirroul.
He was working as a talent acquisition partner for an aged care company at the time of his arrest.
