The prevalence of domestic violence in the Peel region was highlighted in Mandurah Magistrates Court earlier this week, after proceedings were backlogged with a handful of alleged family disputes.
The Mail has reported a series of stories in recent weeks highlighting the issue after WA police statistics revealed a Mandurah family assault is reported every three days, increasing from 80 reports in 08/09, to 143 reports in 17/18.
There is growing demand for more services in the region after the head of Peel's only refuge revealed more than 140 victims had been turned away from the facility in the past six months.
The problem was evident in court on Tuesday, after at least four Mandurah residents appeared for family assault charges.
Police prosecutor Nev Palmer told Magistrate Anne Longden he had grave concerns about amending one man's bail, who pleaded not guilty to two unlawful assaults on his ex-partner.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victim, told the court the victim claimed to be stabbed during an argument, but he had not laid a hand on that woman for four years.
He said the victim was a "psychopath" who had stabbed him during a prior argument.
I consider any case of domestic violence serious.
- Mandurah Magistrate Anne Longden
The man will face trial on November 22, in the same court.
A Halls Head man was fined after grabbing his ex-partner's arm, blocking her path throughout the house when she was trying to leave and pushing over a stack of chairs that toppled, nearly hitting his five-year-old child.
The man pleaded guilty, but his lawyer told the court her client was driven to behave like this, after being forced by the victim to work long hours.
The man told Ms Longden the victim had set up the assault to be caught on a camera, in their backyard.
Ms Longden acknowledged there was more to every story but said she was sure his partner would have a different version of events.
"I consider any case of domestic violence serious", she said.
The man was fined $1600 and $100 costs.
He was granted a spent conviction for work reasons and the victim was granted a family violence restraining order.
Another man, who had hit his former partner with an open palm to the head after accusing her of seeing other people, was fined $1000, $107.50 costs and had his spent conviction denied.
His lawyer said her client was not aware the assault was a criminal offence, to which Ms Longden responded; "He did not know it was illegal to hit someone?".
"You now know how serious it is," she said.
Are you experiencing domestic violence? Call police on 000 in an emergency or 131 444 to report an incident.
For counselling or support services call the free 24 hour Women's Domestic Violence Helpline on 1800 007 339.
