Jamie Michael Talbot avoids immediate jail after striking ex with ratchet spanner and dislodging her teeth

A 22-year-old man has avoided immediate jail after he struck his former girlfriend with a ratchet spanner with such force it dislodged two teeth and chipped two others. In sentencing Jamie Michael Talbot for the “extremely serious” domestic violence in Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on Thursday, magistrate William Yoo said a message needed to be sent to men that this type of offending against women should never happen. However, he ultimately determined a sentence of 12 months for the charges of aggravated unlawful assault and aggravated assault causing bodily harm could be suspended. Mr Yoo ruled Talbot would have that jail term hanging over his head for 22 months — two months shy of the maximum time available. Talbot was 20 years old when, in 2023, he assaulted his partner in a Kalgoorlie caravan park about one year after they broke up. After the couple got into an argument, Talbot grabbed the victim by her hair and pulled her into the caravan where he then pushed her twice into two different chairs with such force both she and the chairs toppled over. Little more than two months later, the pair were again at the caravan park when an argument broke out after the victim returned from a service station with food for them both. The pair had been arguing since the early hours of the morning when at 7am Talbot picked up a ratchet spanner and struck her under the chin, dislodging her two front top teeth and chipping two bottom teeth. He then told her to wash her mouth out — as it was filled with blood — and to get some rest. Defence lawyer Steven Svirac said Talbot was in “shock” after it happened and was “extremely embarrassed” and remorseful. Mr Svirac said this was the moment Talbot realised things in his “toxic” relationship were “out of control” and needed to end. He said Talbot previously worked in the mining sector and hoped to regain employment now that he was focused on staying away from meth. Mr Yoo said the offending was extremely serious against someone who put their trust in Talbot and deserved to have that trust rewarded and not be harmed. He said violence and intimidation again women should be strongly discouraged by appropriate sentences in court. He urged Talbot to “put his money where his mouth is” and ensure he stays on top of his mental health and drug issues. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)