A Koonawarra man who carried out a sadistic attack on a paraplegic woman in which he sliced her skin with a knife and poured an unknown liquid into her wounds has been sentenced to six years behind bars.
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Stephen Warwick Baker pleaded guilty to aggravated enter dwelling with intent and assault charges in Wollongong District Court on Tuesday, admitting he broke into the woman's Avondale home in the early hours of the morning as she lay defenceless in her bedroom.
The court heard the victim, a 64-year-old woman, had 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, himself a schizophrenic, was her disability carer for several years, and they were also in a romantic relationship at some stage.
Court documents reveal Baker has a history of abusive behaviour towards the woman, culminating in an incident in 2017 where he held her hostage inside her home for five days and subjected her to horrific abuse including using pliers to rip off her toe nail.
He was sentenced to three years jail for the incident.
The court heard an interim apprehended violence order was put in place in February last year naming 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, Baker climbed through an open window into the bedroom of the woman's home in the early hours of the morning.
The victim 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, buttock, hip area, 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 lose consciousness.
The court heard Baker was gone when the woman woke, however she said he had left an axe behind in her cupboard.
The woman's carer turned up to her house later that day and immediately noticed she was withdrawn and upset. She eventually disclosed the incident to her carer 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.
In a victim impact statement, the woman told the court of the mental and physical impact the attack had had on her.
"The enormous injuries to my back and head bashings have given me frequent headaches," the woman said.
"Once out of jail I fear he will find me and use the acid on my face, possibly blinding me.
"The memory causes nightmares constantly. I can see myself in agony. I feel that knife cutting my skin. I see his face perfectly calm."
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Andrew Haesler said Baker's intent to intimidate and harm the woman was clear.
Judge Haesler took into account Baker's schizophrenia and told the court he had been regularly admitted to mental health facilities.
He sentenced Baker to six years prison and set a non-parole period of three-and-a-half years.
With time served, Baker will be eligible to apply for parole in November 2024.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
