Patrick James Hill in Bathurst Court for assaulting woman

Those were the factors that sparked a criminal charge for a 29-year-old Llanarth man, who found himself before court with his first matter of violence.

Patrick James Hill of Knight Place, Llanarth, was sentenced in Bathurst Local Court on May 17, 2023 after he pleaded guilty to common assault.

Hill was out drinking with a group of friends, along with the victim, in Bathurst during the afternoon of April 28, 2023 when one of their mutual friends told the woman Hill had gone missing for an hour, agreed 'facts' state.

After sending Hill a message asking where he was, the victim met Hill at the Dudley Hotel on Stewart Street in Bathurst where they got into an argument.

The court heard the woman left before police were called to assist with a brawl that took place at the hotel about 1.10am, which involved a drunken Hill.

After he was given a move on direction by police, Hill got a taxi to a home on Knight Place, where he knocked on the window to be let inside by the victim.

Once in the bedroom, Hill began to yell at the victim and blame her for the police going to the hotel.

During some point of the argument, the victim tried to walk away from Hill but he put his hand on her chest and pushed her.

Once the woman got out of the bedroom, she left and walked in the rain with just a dressing gown on from Knight Place to Lockyer Street where she was found by police.

Officers went to the home where Hill was arrested before he was taken to Bathurst Police Station.

Solicitor Evan Dowd told the court on behalf of his client that while he acted "inappropriately", Hill had no prior matters of violence on his criminal record, with the violent outbreak out of character, according to references.

Magistrate Atkinson said it was clear alcohol had much to do with the matter, and hoped Hill had learnt from the incident.

"So what if she rang the police? It shouldn't have happened ... and what did you achieve? You would have been far better to let it calm down," Ms Atkinson said.

"I'm going to give you a chance to walk away. This needs to be a wake up call ... learn from this."

Hill was placed on a conditional release order for 15 months without conviction.

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