In NSW, a domestic violence offence is any criminal offence that is committed in a domestic (home) setting.
The most common types of domestic violence offences are assaults and the offence of “stalk/intimidate with intent to cause fear”. A Sexual Offence can also be classified a domestic violence offence if the complainant (alleged victim) is a family member of the accused.
While there is no such thing as an offence of domestic violence per-se, there is a range of consequences where an offence is categorised as a domestic violence offence, these include:
- Relating to bail, complainants in a domestic violence offence have special rights to apply to vary the conditions of the accused’s bail; and
- There are special provisions about the way the courts must sentence offenders in domestic violence cases.
If you have been charged with a domestic violence offence, call our team of experienced criminal defence lawyers on 02 4058 5844 or complete our online form to arrange a private and confidential meeting at our Newcastle office. The first consultation is free.