Wade Michael Derschow: Police are fighting to have Geraldton man declared a serial family violence offender

Police are fighting to have a Geraldton man declared a serial family violence offender by the courts after two violent attacks against his friend and partner last year. Wade Michael Derschow was arrested on Christmas Eve after smashing a beer bottle over the head of a friend he was drinking with during an argument at his Spalding home. Prosecutor Sgt Beau Jones said he hit the man “three or four times”, causing him to lose consciousness, opening a “large star-shaped wound” on his head. The 32-year-old was released on protective bail the next day, returning home to his young family. By 9.30pm, he was arguing with his partner of 10 years, punching her in the head and threatening to “stab her in her front part”. Sgt Jones said the “prolonged” attack continued outside, with Derschow throwing chairs at the woman and threatening to hit her with a tyre leaver. “She was pleading with him to stop hitting her,” he said, adding their children were present during the Christmas Day attack. Derschow reappeared in Geraldton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday via video link from Greenough Regional Prison, pleading guilty to unlawful wounding, unlawful assault occasioning bodily harm, and possession of cannabis. Prosecutors then filed a motion asking the court to declare him a serial family violence offender under new legislation which came into effect on January 1. This was accepted by Magistrate Chris Miocevich, who said the process required him to order an assessment of the offender by an approved expert. Derschow was remanded into custody for 12 weeks and will reappear in court on July 12. According to the WA Department of Justice, zero people in the Mid West have been declared a serial family violence offender since the Act’s introduction, however several assessments were ongoing.