'I'm going to cave your skull in': Robert Sharrock jailed for domestic violence

A Wollongong parolee who unleashed a tirade of abuse against a woman including yelling threats to "cave your skull in" while he held a hammer has been jailed.

Robert Sharrock dialled into Wollongong Local Court from custody on Monday where the magistrate sentenced him to 32 months' behind bars with a non-parole period of 17 months.

Sharrock, 39, had defended the charges in a hearing however was found guilty of intimidation, armed with intent to commit an offence, and two counts each of contravening an apprehended violence order (AVO) and common assault.

Tendered court documents state Sharrock got the victim to pick him up from Grafton when he was released on parole on March 11, with the pair returning to Wollongong the next day.

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From then, Sharrock refused to live at his parole address and instead lived at the victim's in defiance of an earlier-imposed AVO.

"The victim felt helpless. Unable to have the accused leave the premises she feared retribution and further incidents," court documents stated.

Sharrock became abusive after he drank to excess one evening in April and shouted at the neighbours, calling them dogs, as they had contacted police in relation to his previous offending.

He then started an argument with the victim, in which he demanded she buy him more alcohol, to which she refused. Sharrock searched for her car keys in a flurry before he punched her in the face, causing immediate pain.

The victim took pictures of her injured face and sent them to a friend.

Sharrock's tirade continued later that month, with the victim continuing to stay in contact with her friend in fear of further violence.

She was sitting on the couch when Sharrock started an argument in which he demanded she transfer him money, before he took a hammer from a tool kit and threatened "I'm going to cave your skull in".

Sharrock then wrestled the victim's phone out of her hands as she attempted to message her friend for help, causing bruising. However police arrived shortly after in response to a report made by the friend.

Sharrock refused to answer the door, prompting officers to force entry out of concern for the victim's safety. He was arrested and the hammer was seized.

Magistrate Michael Ong noted the intimidation was a serious example of the offence aggravated by Sharrock holding a weapon.

Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.

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