Sydney man dismisses alleged livestream assault of partner as 'one-off thing' - The Sydney Morning Herald

A western Sydney man who inadvertently livestreamed himself allegedly assaulting his pregnant partner during a game of Fortnite has dismissed it as a "one-off thing", as Telstra confirms it has suspended him from his role as an engineer.

Luke Munday, 26, was charged with common assault on Sunday evening, after watchers of the livestream that allegedly captured Mr Munday hitting his partner as she cries rang police.

The confronting video, which police have confirmed they will use as evidence against Mr Munday, depicts the gaming enthusiast allegedly yelling at his partner, then hitting her.

"You f---ing woman basher," the woman screams after he allegedly hits her.

"Don't hit me in the face, don't you dare touch my face.

Police have confirmed the couple's two daughters, aged three and 20 months, were at the home at the time of the alleged assault.

On Tuesday, Mr Munday told Seven News it was a "one-off thing" and that the partner he allegedly abused would "corroborate that in court".

"You're all judging the video, you don't see what happens, you haven't read the police report, you don't actually know what happened off the camera," he said.

"Everyone thinks I kicked the shit out of her which clearly isn't the case."

Mr Munday has also been suspended from his job as an engineer with telecommunications giant Telstra pending "a full investigation".

Telstra general manager media Steve Carey said the alleged assault “goes against what we stand for as an organisation and the work we have done to assist women impacted by domestic violence”.

Luke Munday, 26, has been charged with allegedly hitting his partner, which was allegedly livestreamed as he played Fortnite.

Mr Carey added: “Domestic violence has no place in our community. It is totally unacceptable and needs to be eradicated.”

Video game addiction expert Professor John Saunders told the Herald that gamers frequently turn physical when a loved one tries to intervene.

"That is certainly common. I hear this most commonly from parents trying to reign in their son's online gaming. They are greeted by abuse and aggression."

Last month, Sydney man Daniel Chapman was jailed after killing his father with a 14-centimetre blade after an argument over a computer.

Daniel Chapman killed his father after an argument over his computer use. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Stephen Chapman, 56, had asked his 22-year-old son to stop playing a computer game and come to dinner. When he disconnected the internet, his son fatally stabbed him in the back.

Professor Saunders said such violence was "a very extreme situation, but the aggression is not unusual."

"Indeed, some people claim that it is a manifestation of withdrawal," said the consultant physician at South Pacific Private.

"My concern is that gaming disorder is going to get worse before it gets better, because of the increasing uptake of games, their increasing sophistication and that games are of course designed to be engaging," he said.

Most gaming addicts are teenage boys, but increasingly men in their twenties, thirties and forties are becoming addicted.

John Logan, who works at the Thai outpost of Sydney addiction clinic The Cabin said that the addictive processes in the brain were the same for gaming as for drugs, alcohol or gambling.

"You play and dopamine is released, the same as if you did a line of cocaine or started on the pokies.

"Dopamine's release is a rewards system but also a survival system. Normally it's released by eating, drinking, sex, meeting family and friends, anything good for our survival.

"But with addictions like gaming, the dopamine releases hijacks your brain and tricks your brain into thinking its necessary for survival," Mr Logan said.

Domestic violence advice and help is available, call: 1800 RESPECT or the DV Hotline – 1800 65 64 63 or Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services (statewide): 1800 WDVCAS

Sally Rawsthorne is a Crime Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.