A NORFORCE soldier and mentor to young recruits has been convicted of aggravated assault, after kicking his partner on the ground and hitting her with a metal walking stick, during a prolonged drunken assault.
Jordan Wanybarrnga appeared in Darwin local court this week on charges of aggravated assault, contravention of a domestic violence order, consuming prohibited liquor in a general restricted area.
According to the statement of facts, Wanybarrnga consumed the alcohol while travelling from Darwin to Ramingining last Friday 31st May, arriving at the remote community at 7am.
Wanybarrnga's wife was reportedly woken up and told of his arrival. He is reported as consuming further alcohol in her presence.
The prosecution said: "The victim asked the defendant 'can you go have a rest' which agitated the defendant, who replied 'no'.
"The defendant and the victim engaged in a verbal altercation pertaining to jealousy in the bedroom, causing her to feel scared.
"The defendant then became more agitated and angry and then without warning or provocation stepped forward and punched the victim with a closed fist; once to her left upper arm and once to the right side of her face with such force as to cause the victim to fall to the floor.
"While the victim was on the floor she curled into a ball to protect her body while the defendant had proceeded to kick the victim for an unknown amount of times, causing her body immense pain.
"The victim had said when she attempted to get up to get away, the defendant grabbed the victim, picked her up and threw her toward the bedroom window and away from the door.
"The victim had attempted to crawl towards the door way to get away from the defendant and seek help.
"The defendant had then armed himself with a walking stick and struck the victim an unknown amount of times to her body.
"The victim has then screamed for help, alerting the defendant's [family members] who came to her aid."
The victim reportedly locked herself in the bedroom before calling 000.
Police arrived at the property at 3pm where Wanybarrnga was breathalysed and found to have breached his DVO.
The victim was conveyed via Care Flight to Gove Hospital for treatment.
Wanybarrnga's lawyer Matthew Hubber said his client has two children with the defendant worked as a teacher's aid, and has been mentoring new recruits joining NORFORCE since 2021.
In her sentencing remarks the judge said: "There are some serious aspects to it.
"Because you were drunk, because it went on, and because you used that walking stick as a weapon.
"But I take into account, as I said before, you haven't been before the court for this, so I'm sentencing you today as a first-time offender.
"I'm allowed to give you a chance, and that's what I'm going to do; but I do have regard to the maximum penalty of 5 years for the offence."
The judge continued: "I have taken into account what Mr Hubber has said about you. That you're from Ramingining and that you're a working man.
"That you work for NORFORCE. That in the past you have been to school, and are working at the school. So you do have a really important job.
"So it's important that you go back to Ramingining. You go back to your family, and you go back to your job.
"You also have young kids, and it's really important that you are a role model for your young kids.
"If they see you doing what you did to your wife, your son might think it's ok to do that to his wife, and he ends up in lock up, and you don't want that.
"So I've taken all those things into account. I've also read the victim impact statement that [the victim] has put into the court.
"She said that she's sad, and that she is scared of you when you've been drinking. And I've got the photographs of her [injuries], and I take that into account.
The full discount on sentencing for pleading guilty early was given to Wanybarrnga.
He was sentenced to four months of imprisonment, backdated to last Friday, and suspended for 12 months.
Wanybarrnga was ordered by the judge to return directly to Ramingining upon release from prison tomorrow, Thursday 6th June.
The judge extended the DVO for another two years, which was due to expire in July.
She said: "You can't be drunk around your wife. You can't cause trouble for her. No fighting, no talking bad to her. Do you agree to that?"
Wanybarrnga agreed.
We are The Mango Inquirer.
