Edwin Patrick Robert Shay: Bail refused after court told man threatened to ‘boot’ pregnant victim

A man who allegedly assaulted his pregnant partner and threatened to “boot the f... out of her” when he gets out of prison has had his bail refused.

It is one of at least two alleged domestic violence cases to come before Geraldton Magistrates Court in the past couple of weeks in which men have been accused of attacking their pregnant partners.

Edwin Patrick Robert Shay, 33, appeared in court via video link from Greenough Regional Prison on Thursday to apply for bail on a charge of unlawful assault with circumstances of aggravation.

The court was told Mr Shay, who is yet to enter a plea, was in a one-year relationship with his partner, who was three months pregnant at the time, when he allegedly assaulted her.

It is alleged on Thursday, December 28, the woman woke up late at night and went to wait out the front for Mr Shay to come home while he was out.

After a while, the woman went to his brother’s house where Mr Shay told her to go away.

It is alleged when Mr Shay returned home he yelled at the woman, telling her to collect her belongings and leave, before physically striking her to the right hand and arm she was holding to protect herself.

On seeking bail, defence lawyer Melissa Wishart said Mr Shay wanted to attend a family member’s funeral on Friday, hoped to look after his grandparents who were unwell, and also his pregnant partner and alleged victim.

Police prosecutor Sgt Carey Owen opposed bail, telling the court Mr Shay told his mother in a phone call at the police lock up: “tell her when I get out I’m going to boot the f... out of her”.

Sgt Owen said police had serious concerns for the alleged victim’s safety.

Magistrate Angus Hockton was not satisfied any of the reasons to grant bail were exceptional and noted Mr Shay had a poor record for breaching orders.

“Unfortunately people die all the time and a funeral is not an exceptional circumstance,” he said.

From the video link, Mr Shay stood up and began telling the court he wanted to represent himself, plead guilty and get the matter over and done with.

But Mr Hockton didn’t believe it was a genuine plea given what he had previously heard.

The case was adjourned to Thursday, February 8 and bail was refused.

In a separate case in late December, 25-year-old man Vendyl Jacob Ryan was sentenced in the same court for hitting his pregnant partner while she was in Northampton Hospital.

She was in hospital over concerns about the health of her unborn child.

Mr Ryan is accused of striking his partner to the face while she was on a hospital bed before leaving. He was sentenced to a 10-month community based order.

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