Two weeks before her death Sharon Michelutti took out yet another apprehended domestic violence order against her partner.
It was just another in a string of ADVOs she had taken out against Gavin Debeyer since the 1990’s.
But it didn’t save her.
Last week the mother of five was stabbed to death allegedly at the hands of Gavin Debeyer at their home in Sydney’s south-west.
The adult son of mother-of-five Sharon Michelutti was heard screaming “Is she still in there? My dad killed her, didn’t he?”as he tried to duck under police tape cordoning off the family home turned crime scene.
Ms Michelutti’s body was discovered in her bedroom with stab wounds shortly after midday last Monday.
She was reportedly found deceased by another son, who ran down the street screaming. A neighbour said the son could barely speak but made a hand gesture across his throat when asked what was wrong.
Court documents allege Mr Debeyer murdered his partner between 9.45am and 12.04pm on Monday.
Two weeks before her death a 12-month ADVO was issued to protect Ms Michelutti from Mr Debeyer the conditions on the ADVO stated that Mr Debeyer not approach Ms Michelutti or her home within 12 hours of drinking or taking drugs.
The order came after a previous ADVO, made in 2013, expired.
It was the latest in a string of orders that police had taken out on Ms Michelutti’s behalf, rolling over time and time again to help protect her since 1999.
The two had been in a relationship since Ms Michelutti was 14, with many neighbours now coming forward saying there was violent pattern of domestic violence inside the home.
Neighbour Markita Galea told media the couple fought “a lot, at least weekly”.
Another who did not want to be named said she heard them fighting at the home twice last week.
The tragic death of Ms Michelutti brings to the fore, once again, the ineffectiveness of protection orders with research showing that last year alone men breached more than 4000 ADVOs.
More than 25,000 of these orders are issued by the NSW courts each year.
Fairfax Media reports a Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) report, released last September, highlighted the prevalence of recidivism among domestic violence offenders.
The report examined the history of 250 offenders who were imprisoned for ADVO breaches and found nearly half of them had been to court at least five times in the previous five years, with two-thirds had breaching a protection order.
Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service NSW Inc director Renata Field told Fairfax Media support services are essential.
“It is really essential that women are put in touch with support services because there can be such a range of issues for people experiencing domestic violence,” she said.
Gavin Debeyer has been charged with the murder of Sharon Michelutti and is due to face court next month.
For domestic violence support 24/7, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Top Comments
The article says she was killed in 'their" home. Does this mean she was living with the man who killed her? A genuine question: How to you enforce an ADVOs if the offender remains in the same home as their victim and continues to have a relationship with the victim ? Is an ADVO simply a "don't hurt that person order"? Harming another person is illegal whether there is an ADVO in place or not, so what purpose does an ADVO serve legally?
That's what i'v been thinking for days since reading this, but wasn't brave enough to ask the question ... for fear I was labelled a victim blamer or something similar.
I would expect that in every instance where a women has taken out an AVO and is murdered by her estranged, there have been numerous deliberate breaches of the AVO by the ex. Bringing an end to domestic violence is a difficult proposition as my view is that Australia is a country that has a strong streak of male-aggression (and a growing streak of female aggression, although that is mostly perpetrated by women in SUV's) and that streak is growing rather than abating - and the mix of the that cultural factor and alcohol is, as we know, absolutely toxic.. For that reason alone, it is vital that the enforcement of AVO's be ramped up DRAMATICALLY. With a violent ex, there is both the impunity that comes from a lack of AVO enforcement by the law and the lack of significant punishment, which everyone knows about, as well as the craziness that accompanies a weasel who wants to exact revenge on his estranged wife. Unfortunately, nothing is as simple as it seems, as surely there is a high risk that some scumbags (I won't call a dude who is prepared to beat his wife a "man") who get 30 days in jail for breaches of an AVO will come out even more crazy and even more determined to exact revenge on their estranged wives/partners. It is also a grave concern that police at the scene of this murder felt they needed to restrain the son. I desperately hope that he was just caught up in his grief, rather than being a product of a father who was probably consistently violent towards his wife and his kids - we know that sons raised by violent parents often become violent in turn. This starts as an emotional defence to protect themselves from an horrific upbringing, but can then evolve into adult hatred and violence.