The Shepparton man successfully applied for bail in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court.
He is charged with recklessly causing injury, recklessly causing serious injury, aggravated assault of a female and contravening a family violence intervention order.
Shepparton police Senior Constable Jessica Stievano told the court the man had wrapped a rope around his partner’s neck, on April 10 at their home in Shepparton.
“The victim was in fear she was going to die and felt like she was losing oxygen and couldn’t breathe,” Sen Constable Stievano said.
The court heard the alleged assault left the victim with bruising to her arm, chest, neck and shoulders.
Sen Constable Stievano said the man had been living with his partner since being released from prison earlier this year and he was still on a community corrections order.
She said he had been imprisoned for “similar offending” including family violence offences and assaults.
Sen Constable Stievano said the man had admitted further breaches of the intervention order since January for which he was yet to be charged.
The court heard that when interviewed by police, the man denied any assault and said they had a verbal argument and the woman had been banging her own head during the argument.
Defence solicitor Laurence Waugh said his client had diagnosed intellectual disabilities which would make being held in custody more burdensome on him than other prisoners.
Mr Waugh also told the court 24-hour care was available for the man through independent Indigenous National Disability Insurance Scheme supplier Gallawah.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Caitlin McLeod opposed bail, saying that breaching the intervention order by strangulation made it a serious matter.
Magistrate Peter Mithen granted bail, saying the man’s diagnosis and medical issues constituted exceptional circumstances.
“With his vulnerabilities, custody is not the place for him,” Mr Mithen said.
The man’s bail conditions include that he abide by the intervention order, not speak to witnesses and co-operate with Gallawah.
He will next appear in court in June.
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