Family dinner allegedly ends with man punching wife, slapping son-in-law

CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged family violence.

A family dinner allegedly ended with a man repeatedly punching his wife in the face as well as assaulting his son-in-law.

ACT Policing alleged the 58-year-old man got into an argument with his family members during dinner on Monday night (14 October) after he had been drinking alcohol.

He then allegedly assaulted his son-in-law by slapping him in the face. When his wife attempted to intervene, he allegedly repeatedly punched her in the face, too.

The man allegedly followed his wife as she tried to leave their home, then assaulted her again by shoving her against a wall.

Police officers arrived at the scene shortly afterwards, arrested the man and charged him with two counts of assault and one count of damaging property.

The man, who isn’t named to protect his family members’ identities, applied for bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday (15 October), assisted by a Punjabi interpreter.

Special Magistrate Lucinda Wilson said the allegations included the man beating up his wife and dragging her across the room that night.

She also said the wife told police she had “been assaulted multiple times in the past by the defendant”.

The court heard the man and his wife had been planning to fly to India on Tuesday and it was unclear whether or not she had flown on without him.

The man’s defence lawyer, Legal Aid’s Sam Brown, said his client had moved to Australia in 2009 and was relatively isolated in the ACT aside from the family members involved in the alleged incident as the rest of his family was overseas.

Mr Brown said alcohol consumption was an issue for his client and proposed he be bailed to live at the home he shared with his wife, as she wanted to live in the home of their son and son-in-law.

The prosecutor opposed bail, in part arguing there was a likelihood of reoffending due to the alleged history of violence.

Special Magistrate Wilson said there were three witnesses to the man’s alleged offending, as well as photos of marks on his wife’s face taken on Tuesday night and a photo of “extensive damage” to a wall of his wife’s cupboard.

“This damage was said to have been caused by the defendant forcibly pushing his wife into that wall,” she said.

“This is a case where there is a strong Crown brief, establishing serious family violence offences.”

She said based on the allegations contained in court documents, it appeared the couple’s son didn’t intervene to protect his mother from his father.

“The only person who appears to be protecting [the wife] from [the man’s] violence is the non-blood relative, her son-in-law,” she alleged.

The special magistrate also said it was possible the man’s flight to India had been scheduled for later on Tuesday or it could be arranged for Wednesday.

“It is highly likely, in the court’s opinion, that [the man] may not appear in court in relation to the offences,” she said.

Special Magistrate Wilson said the risks of releasing the man on bail were too grave and she refused it.

He was remanded in custody to face court in November. No pleas were entered.

If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.