By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A MAN charged with bashing his 20-year-old, pregnant partner in front of his daughter at a home in Pakenham has been released from custody, and is due to soon reappear in court.
Henry Stowers, an 18-year-old rugby player, had been held in custody for over a week following the violent alleged Thursday 21 January incident which resulted in significant concerns for his victim.
The Dandenong Magistrates Court heard Stowers breached several family violence intervention orders during the alleged daylight assault, which took police 12 hours to process.
He was charged with two counts of intentionally causing injury without lawful excuse, one count of unlawful assault in addition to three intervention order breaches, including the alleged punching assault on the 20-year-old pregnant victim and committing family violence in front of a child.
The child in question is believed to be his daughter, whom he was ordered to steer clear of in addition to his pregnant partner.
“If you break this order, if you go anywhere near them, you’ll go back to jail,” the magistrate said before approving bail during the Friday 29 January hearing.
Police earlier alleged they were called to a Pakenham address on Thursday 21 January in relation to a domestic violence assault.
When they arrived, they found a battered pregnant woman with significant injuries to her eye.
She was taken to the Dandenong Hospital where she was treated for a fractured eye socket.
Police have confirmed the victim’s unborn child was unharmed by the alleged punching incident and the woman is now no longer at risk of long-term visual impairment.
His defence lawyer noted Stowers had “extremely low“ cognitive functioning processes, during the hearing.
The court ordered he continue regular consultation with workers in a youth justice program.
Stowers was bailed to appear back in court on Friday 11 March.
