Geraldton man jailed in strangulation case after police reveal hundreds of charges laid under new laws

A 24-year-old man who sat on his partner, compressing her neck, was jailed for 10 months in the Geraldton Magistrate's Court. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt)

WA Police have laid hundreds of charges of impeding breathing or circulation since the highly dangerous act became a specific offence but there were fewer than 60 convictions in the first eight months of the new laws, with many defendants choosing to fight the charge.

Figures from the WA Police show 433 charges were laid from the start of October last year to the beginning of June this year.

Of those 57 resulted in a conviction, 27 were discontinued and another 347 are progressing through the courts.

Jail for attack

A Geraldton man was, this week, among the dozens who have pleaded guilty to impeding his partner's breathing or circulation and he was jailed for ten months.

The Geraldton Magistrate's Court was told Ethan William Bradley Patch became angry with a family member and 'took out his aggression on the victim'.

He put his hands on her neck before sitting on her.

"The victim said she was fearful she may die if the pressure was not released."

The court was told she managed to fight back and fled to the backyard of the house where she hid from the 24-year-old and called police.

Community abhorrence

Magistrate Christian Miocevich said the community had an abhorrence for this type of crime and the sentence had to reflect that.

He reduced Patch's sentence because of his early plea of guilty but said the impeding breathing offence was "so serious, no other sentence other than imprisonment is appropriate," Magistrate Miocevich said.

Midwest Police Family Violence Team acting officer in charge Ian Cliffe welcomed the court outcome.

"I am happy their actions are being held to account certainly," Acting Sergeant Cliffe said. 

Police warning

Sergeant Cliffe said the crime was a 'red flag' for an increased risk of murder in family violence.

Acting Sergeant Ian Cliffe warns unconsciousness and death can occur quickly during strangulation attacks. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Cecile O'Connor)

"I cannot reinforce enough that we encourage anyone who is suffering any form of domestic violence, to report but when it starts going down the avenue of strangulation and an offence of this nature we really need to act on this quickly and we do," Acting sergeant Cliffe said.

As well as psychological injury such as PTSD, there was also a risk of death within days or weeks from blood clots.

"Impeding someone's breathing can at worst become a fatality but there is never a good scenario to this," he said.

He also warned victims of non-fatal strangulation to make sure they are not alone after the attack.

"Our advice is to stay with somebody you trust for the next 24 hours and have them monitor your signs and symptoms and seek medical assistance as soon as you can."