Brian Victor Strawbridge faces more time behind bars after grabbing ex-partner by the tongue at Christmas

A South West man who grabbed his ex-partner by the tongue during a physical altercation at a family Christmas will face another 10 months behind bars after he was exposed as a repeat family violence offender. Brian Victor Strawbridge, 40, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court on Monday via video link and pleaded guilty to two new charges including breaching a family violence restraining order and unlawful assault occasioning bodily harm. On December 24 last year, Strawbridge breached a VRO when he visited his ex-partner’s home in Geographe and stayed overnight. On Christmas Day, Strawbridge and the woman got into a verbal altercation before he grabbed her by the tongue and inflicted bruising to the chin and neck, and scratches around her mouth. The woman’s young children were present in the house when she was assaulted. After his arrest, Strawbridge told police he had pulled at her bikini top after she “antagonised” him, and the strap had caused the injury. Duty lawyer Alex Collins told the court Strawbridge only attended the house because he was invited by his ex-partner on Christmas Eve to celebrate with his family. He had previously complied with bail conditions of his VRO, including dropping the children’s Christmas presents to the police station instead of the house. The incident comes after the 40-year-old was charged with five breaches of a family violence restraining order against another woman he was in a relationship with early last year. Strawbridge contacted the victim over four concurrent days by SMS and phone calls, including on one occasion contacting her 88 times in one day. The man left multiple voicemails where he told the woman he “always loved (her) and the f. . . . . . kids . . . that’s why I keep contacting you.” On another occasion, the man rode his bike to the Bunbury Wildlife Park where the woman was with her children and family. The accused was yelling at the group and followed their car for a short period of time, as the woman’s mother called police. Strawbridge was arrested on February 16, when he admitted to having “regular communication” with the victim. Magistrate Benjamin Tyers said Strawbridge had a “considerable record”, noting multiple convictions dating back to 2006. Mr Tyers told Strawbridge assault was “not foreign” and the most recent charge was “a personal attack”. Strawbridge was sentenced to 10 months in custody for all six charges.