A Koonawarra man has confessed to carrying out a sadistic attack on a paraplegic woman in which he sliced her skin with a knife and poured acid into her wounds as she lay defenceless in her own bed.
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Stephen Warwick Baker pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated enter dwelling with intent and assault charges during a recent appearance in Wollongong Local Court, allowing the shocking details of his crime to finally be revealed.
Documents tendered to the court said the 64-year-old woman has complex health problems including paraplegia and osteoporosis and spent most of her time in bed, only moving around with the use of a wheelchair.
Baker was the woman's disability carer for several years, however court documents reveal he has a history of abusive behaviour towards her, culminating in a detaining charge in 2017 for which he was sentenced to three years' jail.
The court heard an interim apprehended violence order was put in place in February this year that named the woman as a person in need of protection, and banned Baker from going within 100 metres of her house.
However, less than three months later on May 9, Baker climbed through an open window into the bedroom of the woman's Avondale home just after 3am.
She woke after some items were knocked over in the room and discovered Baker standing over her wearing bike leathers, gloves and carrying a motorcycle helmet.
Baker immediately punched the woman in the head, then removed a small fruit knife from his pocket and inflicted cuts on her thigh, right buttock, right hip area, right shin and lower back.
Baker then removed a syringe from his pocket and poured liquid onto the cuts.
The woman said she felt a burning sensation and screamed in pain.
Baker then told her "I'll be back to finish you off" before punching her again in the head, causing her to black out.
The 57-year-old was gone when she woke, however she said he had left an axe behind in her cupboard.
The woman's current carer turned up to her house later that day.
He noted she refused to eat anything and was very quiet, withdrawn and upset.
She eventually disclosed the incident to him two days later on his next visit, telling him Baker had "used acid to burn her legs and back".
She refused medical treatment and swore the man to secrecy, however the incident was reported to police a few days later.
Officers attended the woman's unit on May 15. They noted she had bruising to her right eye, an injury to her nose and sores on her right arm, leg and back. They also found the axe at the premises.
She provided a recorded statement to police on May 17.
Baker was arrested the following day and remanded in custody without court bail.
He will face Wollongong District Court early next year when a date will be set for his sentencing.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
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