An NDIS recipient who repeatedly slapped his partner out of 'frustration' when she would not stop gambling at a casino has been reminded by a judge that women have the same rights as men.
asserted
women → slap → men
Peter Damianakis had gone to The Star at Pyrmont near Sydney Harbour on a Sunday morning in February with Lenqing Zhang, with whom he had been in an 'intimate relationship'.
asserted
he → go → relationship
Upon arrival, the pair had a number of verbal arguments 'in relation to the victim's gambling problem', according to a statement of facts tendered in court.
uncertain
pair → have → court
Shortly after 11am, while 54-year-old Damianakis and 50-year-old Zhang were at the poker machines on the main floor of the casino, the altercation escalated into a physical attack.
asserted
altercation → escalate → attack
As Ms Zhang started to walk away from Damianakis, he turned around and used his open left hand to slap her on the right side of the face.
asserted
he → start → face
'The accused then walks quickly away from the victim,' the statement of facts said.
asserted
statement → accuse → facts
'The victim follows him a couple of metres, yelling something at him, before returning to the poker machine.
'
asserted
victim → follow → machine
The accused walked about 20m away from the victim, before turning and walking back to where the victim was sitting at the poker machine.'
asserted
victim → accuse → machine
Peter Damianakis, an NDIS recipient who repeatedly slapped his partner out of 'frustration' when she would not stop gambling at a casino, has been reminded by a judge that women have the same rights as men.
asserted
women → slap → men
Damianakis is pictured outside court
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Damianakis → picture → court
Peter Damianakis had gone to The Star (above) at Pyrmont near Sydney Harbour on a Sunday morning in February with Lenqing Zhang, with whom he had been in an 'intimate relationship'
asserted
he → go → relationship
The pair continued to argue and Damianakis tried to pull Ms Zhang's casino membership card from the poker machine but she stopped him.
'The accused then puts his arm around the victim's chest to hold her,' the statement of facts said.
'
asserted
statement → continue → facts
The accused again attempted to take hold of the member's card from the poker machine; whenever the accused reached for the card, the victim stopped him.
asserted
victim → accuse → him
Ms Zhang tried to get the attention of nearby gamblers for about 30 seconds before Damianakis let her go and stepped back.
asserted
her → try → seconds
Damianakis then used his open left hand to slap Ms Zhang to her right cheek before moving away and returning again.
asserted
Damianakis → use → cheek
Security arrived and police were contacted.
asserted
police → arrive → ?
Damianakis left the casino but was stopped by police outside the premises and detained while they located Ms Zhang.
asserted
they → leave → Zhang
Back at Day Street police station, Damianakis declined to be interviewed but was told 'everything was captured on CCTV footage' and charged with common assault.
asserted
everything → decline → assault
Damianakis, who is unemployed and receives NDIS benefits of $1,200 a fortnight, pleaded guilty to the offence last Thursday when he faced Downing Centre Local Court.
asserted
he → receive → Court
Upon arrival at The Star, Damianakis and Ms Zhang had a number of verbal arguments 'in relation to the victim's gambling problem,' according to a statement of facts tendered in court
Shortly after 11am, while Damianakis and Zhang were at the poker machines on the main floor of the casino, the altercation escalated into a physical attack.
uncertain
altercation → have → attack
Before Judge Megan Greenwood had heard defence submissions, she made it clear to Damianakis that he was not entitled to hit his partner if she wanted to gamble her money.
asserted
she → hear → money
'She can do whatever she wants, wherever she wants, whenever she wants,' Judge Greenwood said.
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Greenwood → do → whatever
'You just get to choose to stay with her or walk away.'
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You → get → her
Damianakis's lawyer said his client was a full-time carer for his 57-year-old brother, who was stricken with dementia and had suffered a stroke.
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who → say → stroke
He said Damianakis had acted out of 'frustration' in slapping Ms Zhang but understood she was an adult capable of making decisions on her own.
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she → say → own
The pair's relationship had ended as a result of the casino incident, Ms Zhang was now in Singapore and was not intending to come to court.
At the time of the offence, Damianakis was on 12-month intensive correction order after being convicted of supplying an indictable quantity of drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
His criminal record included multiple convictions for drug possession and drug-driving but no previous matters involving domestic abuse.
Judge Greenwood fined Damianakis $1,100, recording a conviction to send a message to him and others that 'women have just as many rights as men'.
She also imposed a two-year apprehended violence order preventing Damianakis from contacting, approaching or even attempting to find Ms Zhang.
'Stay away from her,' Judge Greenwood told Damianakis.
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Greenwood → end → Damianakis
'[If you see her] turn and walk the other way.
asserted
you → see → her
If she calls, hang up.'
asserted
she → call → ?
The Aporia
