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A 24-year-old man who physically and mentally abused his partner, mostly in the presence of their toddler, has successfully appealed for a shorter jail sentence. Shane Crewdson-Evans' offending against his then-partner in Ballarat lasted 10 months from March to December 2018. At one point the former Mount Clear man was wanted by police before he was eventually arrested on December 10 and charged with a litany of unlawful assault, driving and dishonesty offences. During an appeal hearing at the County Court in Ballarat on Thursday, Judge Michael Bourke described Crewdson-Evans' offending against his former partner as horrid. The court was told the victim was frightened of the accused who would break into her house, assault her in front of their child and throw items throughout the house. The court was told the accused repeatedly attended the victim's house in November and December while an intervention order was in place. In one incident Crewdson-Evans broke the lock on the victim's door to gain entry to the house, while another time the victim was home alone when he attended. This time, he pushed the victim into a television and threw items throughout the house. "It's a horrid story. Nobody should be treated the way this woman was treated over this time," Judge Bourke said. Crewdson-Evans had pleaded guilty to 38 charges and was sentenced to 20 months in jail with a non-parole period of 14 months at the Ballarat Magistrates Court in February. But Judge Bourke reduced the original sentence to 18 months in jail with a non-parole period of nine months. The prosecution withdrew five charges. He said the magistrate's sentence was right, but he was swayed by defence lawyer Scott Belcher's submissions. Mr Belcher asked the judge to consider less jail time via a reduced non-parole period. He argued there should be a greater discrepancy between the head sentence and eligibility for parole. Mr Belcher said his client had suffered significant domestic violence from a young age and lacked insight into his own offending behaviour against his former partner. The judge agreed, reducing the magistrate's original sentence from 20 months with a 14 month non-parole, to 18 months in jail with a nine month non-parole period. Judge Bourke said Crewdson-Evans would have to qualify for parole which would require him to complete certain programs. In another frightening ordeal, the court was told the same victim was in the car with Crewdson-Evans when he was driving erratically. She asked him to stop so she could get out of the car but Crewdson-Evans assaulted her by placing his hand under her rib cage. The court was told the accused stopped the car at a shopping centre and the victim got out but he drove at her at a fast rate of speed causing her to take evasive action. The victim got back in the car and Crewdson-Evans drove her into Mount Clear bushland. He eventually stopped the car, got out and walked away. Crewdson-Evans' charges included unlawful assault, driving in a manner dangerous, fraudulently using registration plates, breaching intervention orders, theft and threatening to kill a neighbour. He has already served 92 days in pre-sentence detention. The judge said if Crewdson-Evans did not plead guilty, he would have received two-and-a-half years in jail with a non-parole period of 18 months.

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