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AAP
AAP
National
Mark Russell

Cop convicted after threatening to kill his partner

A police officer who assaulted and intimidated his partner has been sentenced. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

A police officer reported his de facto partner of five years had been abducted and asked his colleagues to help track her down after she left him because of his threats to kill her.

Sentencing Andrew Martin on Wednesday,  a NSW magistrate said the threats had been very serious but he accepted he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time after working as a police officer for six years.

Magistrate John Arms told Wyong Local Court that Martin, 28, who had applied to have no conviction recorded because of his mental health issues, also had an alcohol use disorder and a depressive disorder.

The magistrate said the threats, which Martin now regretted, were so serious he had to be convicted and handed a community corrections order. 

Martin was also placed on a two-year aggravated violence order to stay away from his former partner.

Defence lawyer Bobby Locker told the court Martin, who pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and three counts of intimidation, had developed mental health issues when putting his life on the line every day for the community.

Mr Locker said since Martin's offending, he had resigned from the police force, separated from his partner and was now living at home with his mother.  

He said it should be pointed out that Martin's former partner had also been charged with domestic violence-related offences against him.   

Martin had been a senior constable living with his de facto partner at Hamlyn Terrace when he threatened to bring his service revolver home last year to kill her and himself.

His partner feared for her life and began filming and recording him when he started verbally or physically abusing her because she believed no one would believe her as he was a police officer.

"The behaviour of the offender (Martin) caused the victim to fear for her life,'' an agreed statement of facts said.

"She told police she cannot sleep properly because she doesn't know when the offender will follow through with his threats."

Martin threatened to smack the woman, slit her throat or shoot her.

He told her she was pathetic and criticised how she looked after the house, how much she ate and how she didn't contribute financially.

Martin refused to let the woman apply for a job and when she told him she was going to leave him, he said "I'll come find ya and f***ing kill ya."

When the woman eventually left Martin on May 27, 2023 he reported her to Wyong police station as having been abducted and asked police to make inquiries to locate her.

The woman went to Gosford Police Station two days later to give a statement about Martin's abuse and threats and he was arrested.

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