A 39-year-old man from the Hunter region has pleaded guilty to a violent, drug-fuelled assault that occurred during a sexual encounter last year.
Meth-Fuelled Incident Turns Violent
William Pocock of Links Drive, Raymond Terrace, entered his guilty plea in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday. The charges stem from a disturbing sequence of events that unfolded in the early hours of April 14, 2025.
According to police facts presented to the court, Pocock met the victim at another man's home in Raymond Terrace that afternoon. The pair consumed methylamphetamine together for several hours before discussing the possibility of having sex.
After being asked to leave the initial location, they drove to the victim's house. Once there, they undressed and began a sexual encounter on the victim's bed.
Paranoia Leads to Assault and Threats
The situation turned violent around 2:30 am when Pocock suddenly became paranoid, believing his phone was being hacked. The victim tried to calm him by showing his own iPhone and iPad.
The victim's mother entered the room upon hearing the commotion and told both men to be quiet and get dressed. Shortly after, Pocock's behaviour escalated dramatically.
Pocock climbed on top of the victim and stated, "C...t, I've been to jail for 15 years for murder, I'm going to f...king kill you." He then placed his hand around the victim's throat, forced his head back into the pillow and headboard, and applied pressure until the victim was nearly unconscious.
Bizarre Aftermath and False Kidnap Claim
After the assault, Pocock dressed, took the victim's two mobile phones and iPad, and fled out the back door. He returned to the house at 4 am, banging on the locked door.
He pushed past the victim's mother when she answered, still holding the victim's phone, and demanded his own phone back from the victim. The victim's stepfather eventually intervened and ordered Pocock to leave, but he refused to return the stolen phone.
In a further bizarre twist, Pocock contacted police later that morning and falsely claimed he had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted. Officers drove to a construction site at Heatherbrae where he provided an inconsistent account of the alleged abduction.
While Pocock was being taken to John Hunter Hospital for a sexual assault examination, other police located the two stolen phones hidden in a tub of animal manure on a property near the victim's home.
Pocock was arrested the following day on Mount Hall Road in Raymond Terrace. During his arrest, he asked officers "if he was going to go away for good" and attempted to explain why he had taken the phones.
Police examined both phones and found matching sexual messages and photos exchanged between the two men.
Court Outcome and Next Steps
Pocock pleaded guilty to choking a person without consent and stealing a mobile phone. He also admitted to making a false claim of being kidnapped.
He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in Newcastle District Court on February 12, 2026, to receive a date for his sentencing. An apprehended violence order is currently in place for the protection of the victim.
The case highlights the dangers of methamphetamine use and its potential to trigger extreme paranoia and violence, even in intimate situations.
