NSW police charge man with DV offences, attempts to flee police via ocean at Wollongong

A man will face court today charged with domestic violence offences after attempting to evade police by entering the ocean near Wollongong.

Police allege the 35-year-old man was involved in a domestic violence incident in Lake Heights earlier this year.

Police were called to a Lake Heights home about 8pm on Tuesday 21 January 2020, following reports a man had stabbed a woman in the leg during a domestic violence related incident.

The woman sustained minor injuries and contacted police from a nearby payphone after fleeing the house.

A short time later officers from Lake Illawarra Police District attended and were unable to locate the man.

A warrant was issued for the man’s arrest and police have made several unsuccessful attempts to locate him.

Shortly after 6pm yesterday (Sunday 23 February 2020), the man was driving a Holden Rodeo ute along Carters Lane Towradgi when he was stopped by officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.

As police gestured for the ute to stop, the man stopped, exited the vehicle and ran towards the coast.

A police dog tracked the man to the sand dunes between Towradgi and Fairy Meadow beaches, where the man was seen swimming approximately 50 metres offshore.

Police monitored the man in the surf for about an hour, before officers from the Marine Area Command picked him up approximately 150 metres offshore of Fairy Meadow surf club.

The man was given dry clothes and food before being arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station.

He was charged with stalk/intimate intend fear physical etc harm, armed with intent to commit indictable offence, contravene prohibition/restriction in ADVO (domestic), drive motor vehicle during disqualification period and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The man was refused bail and is due to face Wollongong Local Court today (Monday 24 February 2020).

/Public Release. View in full here.