Christopher Josevski assaulted his girlfriend in the Melbourne service station. Photo / Supplied
Christopher Josevski assaulted his girlfriend in the Melbourne service station. Photo / Supplied
A jealous Christopher Josevski thought he could assault his girlfriend as he pleased when he knocked her down and kidnapped her, by dragging her from a Melbourne service station by her hair in a "disgraceful" attack.
The violent episode in the Derrimut Coles Express, witnessed by shocked onlookers and captured on CCTV, was "extraordinary and callous", bringing to an end days of offending against the woman, who feared she would be killed, County Court Judge Michael Tinney said.
"This was dreadful offending targeting a young woman," he told Josevski on Friday, as he jailed him for four years, with a non-parole period of two-and-a- half years.
Josevski drags his girlfriend by the hair outside the Melbourne service station. Photo / Supplied
Josevski chased his partner and knocked her to the ground after she fled inside the service station on February 23 last year.
As she struggled, he punched her, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her through the doors to his car, taking her back to a caravan in Gordon, near Ballarat.
She was later found by police and taken to hospital, where she was treated for injuries, including a broken nose.
Judge Tinney said Josevski, who also smashed his girlfriend's phone, was jealous and suspicious, and held a sense of power and entitlement, believing he could control her.
"You believed you could assault your partner at will," he said.
"Get it into your head. You don't possess, you don't control others."
The court heard Josevski lied to police, said the woman wanted to be with him and was free to go at any time.
He also claimed she was pregnant, but she said she wasn't.
Rita Illiopoulos suffered a fractured nose and other injuries in the attack. Photo / via 9 News
Josevski, who pleaded guilty to 12 offences including intentionally causing serious injury, common assault, kidnapping and making threats to kill, has already served 380 days behind bars.
He was also fined a total of A$3000 over a gun, ammunition and cannabis found at his property.
Christopher Josevski thought he could assault his girlfriend as he pleased. Photo / Supplied
Josevski, a painter and carpenter, had abused illegal drugs for a number of years, the court heard, but he wasn't affected at the time.
Judge Tinney said his rehabilitation prospects were "quite good", given his age and family support.
Where to go for help or more information:
• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz • Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz • It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz • Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584 • Ministry of Justice: www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/domestic-violence • National Network of Stopping Violence: www.nnsvs.org.nz • White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent. www.whiteribbon.org.nz
