A man with a “serious history of violence” has become the first person in the state charged with contravening tough new domestic violence orders which grant police greater surveillance and monitoring powers.
Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders, introduced in September 2024, apply to adults who have been convicted of two or more serious domestic violence offences or have been involved in serious abuse.
Dallas Honeysett was released on parole in February 2025 after serving just under four years in prison for five counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of reckless grievous bodily harm, one count of reckless wounding, as well as property damage charges, stalking and attempting to influence witnesses.
A year into parole in February this year, the 42-year-old was charged with contravening an apprehended violence order. In April this year, he was issued a Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Order. The order was made for five years, expiring in 2031.
In early May, officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District commenced an investigation into the alleged breach of the order.
He was arrested in his home in Leeton and charged on Tuesday.
Appearing via video from Griffith police station before the local court’s bail division on Wednesday afternoon, Honeysett hung his head as his case was discussed.
His defence lawyer argued he should be granted bail as he lives with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and is engaged with mental health and social services to assist him and had enrolled in a family domestic abuse course starting this week.
“He says that now that he has help … his future is changing, and he is confident that he is doing the right things for the first time,” his defence lawyer said.
However, the prosecution argued that their case was “strong if not overwhelming”, and that any time spent on remand was unlikely to outweigh his sentence.
Breaching a Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Order carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
“There have been fresh offences since that parole date, further offences of domestic violence, including contraventions of Apprehended Violence Orders,” the prosecution said.
“There was more than enough time for him to get the mental health treatment he required [since parole].”
Judge Miranda Moody refused bail. “He has a very serious history of violence and a long history of noncompliance with orders of the court,” she said.
Honeysett began to cry as bail was refused. He will next face Griffith Local Court on June 11.
Under Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders, a court can impose any conditions it considers appropriate to prevent the perpetrator from engaging in domestic abuse, which can include stringent police reporting requirements, notifying police when commencing an intimate partner relationship, and not being allowed to use social media and dating apps.
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Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.