Man allegedly kicked woman seven months pregnant in stomach

CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged family violence.

A man claims he was on an anti-anxiety drug when he allegedly kicked his seven-months pregnant ex-partner in the stomach, just hours after he had been prohibited from going near her.

On Friday night (26 July), the 30-year-old man was handed a family violence order, prohibiting him from contacting the woman or going to her Canberra home, court documents say.

But the next morning (27 July), police were told a distressed woman had called triple zero from the home’s location before the call was disconnected.

Officers arrived at the woman’s home by 11 am to find her with a black eye. She claimed she had been assaulted by the man, but didn’t want to tell them what happened.

“I can’t do that. I’m too scared,” she said when she was asked to make a statement.

The man was seen in the home’s garden shortly afterwards and allegedly tried to escape over a fence before he was arrested, while being “highly aggressive and abusive” towards police officers and appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The woman was taken to hospital with injuries to her face and abdomen which was consistent with the allegation that she had been “kicked in the stomach”, the ACT Magistrates Court heard on Monday (29 July).

Magistrate Jane Campbell said this allegation was particularly concerning given the fact the woman was seven months pregnant.

The man was charged with assaulting a pregnant woman resulting in serious harm to the pregnancy and attempting to escape custody.

He applied for bail and his lawyer, Rachel Fisher of Hugo Law Group, said he had been under the influence of a substance on Friday and Saturday.

She said he was going to fly to Bali on Friday but had taken Xanax to calm his anxiety and then slept through the flight. He woke up, booked another flight and took more Xanax, she said.

Ms Fisher said he had then essentially woken up in police custody with what appeared to be a broken foot, which he needed to get scanned. He wanted to join a rehabilitation program if granted bail.

The prosecutor, who opposed bail, said Xanax was a sedative and an anti-anxiety drug so argued that any submission that the man’s alleged actions were under the influence of it should be taken with a grain of salt.

She said the relationship between the pair was over and the woman was in a significant period of risk.

Magistrate Campbell said a report claimed the man had engaged in “coercive and controlling behaviour” as well as violence towards the woman.

She said she had no confidence the man would comply with bail conditions and refused bail.

The matter was adjourned to August. 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 or by visiting www.1800respect.org.au. 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.