Illawarra man facing charges following statewide domestic violence police operation

An Illawarra man will appear in court next week to face domestic violence charges following his arrest as part of the statewide Operation Amarok.

He was one of almost 600 people, including some of the state’s most dangerous domestic violence offenders, who were charged during a four-day high-impact operation carried out last week.

Operation Amarok III, an intelligence-based policing strategy led by each region’s Domestic Violence High-Risk Offender Teams (DVHROT), involved officers from all police area commands and police districts in NSW, as well as various proactive and specialist units.

Last week, officers from Lake Illawarra Police District received reports in relation to an alleged domestic violence-related assault and breach of an apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO) at Barrack Heights.

Just before 9 am last Friday, officers from Southern Region DVHROT attended a unit at Lake Illawarra, but the man allegedly ran away. Police chased and arrested the man a short distance away. The 33-year-old was charged with various domestic violence-related offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, destroying or damaging property, assault, stalking/intimidating and three counts of contravening an apprehended violence order.

He was refused bail and appeared at Port Kembla Local Court on Friday, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Wednesday (26 July).

During the statewide operation, 592 people were arrested, and in addition to alleged domestic violence-related offences, various other serious offences were allegedly detected, including prohibited firearm and weapon possession, drug possession and supply, with a total of 1107 charges laid.

Of those arrested, 139 were identified among NSW’s most dangerous domestic violence offenders and 103 had outstanding warrants for violent offences.

Over the four days, police engaged with high-risk domestic violence offenders on 1169 occasions, made 315 applications for apprehended domestic violence orders (ADVOs), served 500 outstanding ADVOs, completed 4882 ADVO compliance checks and 1465 bail compliance checks.

Officers also conducted 116 firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) searches at properties linked to those who are subject to FPOs.

In total, police allegedly seized 22 firearms and 40 prohibited weapons, as well as various types of illicit drugs located with 89 detections.

NSW Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism Yasmin Catley said there more than 139,000 calls for police assistance and more than 33,000 actual domestic-related assaults every year.

“These figures show this is an epidemic. We know domestic and family violence is one of the most underreported crime types,” Ms Catley said.

“The police have my full support on this. I back the government agencies working together to stamp out this type of behaviour. Operation Amarok sends a strong message to offenders that they’re in the sights of police.

“You’ve been warned. Your predatory behaviour will be policed to your door.”

NSW Police Corporate Sponsor for Domestic and Family Violence, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon, said with more than half the state’s murders being domestic violence-related, Operation Amarok was a key strategy in preventing serious harm to victims.

“In order to ensure the safety of actual and potential victims of domestic and family violence, Operation Amarok is a deliberate strategy targeting the most dangerous offenders,” Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said.

“While any form of domestic and family violence is unacceptable, those offenders who pose the greatest threat to victims, those who continue to offend, and those who commit serious criminal offences are firmly in our sights.

“This type of offending is violent, confronting, and targeted.

“Amarok elevates our focus on those offenders who often display the dangerousness and violence of organised crime figures and the fixation of terrorists to ensure that we stop their offending behaviour and protect victims.”

For support services contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or visit www.1800respect.org.au. Anyone with information relating to domestic and family-related violence is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information is treated in strict confidence.