'Cambodia's Frank Sinatra' bashed woman after affair ended

'Cambodia's Frank Sinatra' bashed woman after affair ended  

The Age | 21 September 2015

An unemployed Melbourne man - known as the Frank Sinatra of Cambodia - has admitted attacking a married woman after she ended their affair.

Vanna Kong, 56, who is regarded as a hero in Cambodia and has been invited to sing at international festivals around the world, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court on Monday to one charge of intentionally causing serious injury.

Crown prosecutor Daryl Brown told the court Kong had been on parole after being jailed in NSW for beating up his former partner and holding her hostage when he met the victim in August 2013 through mutual friends.

Kong, who has seven children to three different women, was 54 at the time and the victim, who cannot be named, was 29.

 

Mr Brown said Kong, unemployed but getting occasional work as a singer, and the victim began an affair soon after meeting.

Kong then started following the victim to work and would often drive past her home.

The prosecutor said Kong told the victim he loved her and he would kill her if she cheated on him.

The victim ended the relationship in early December 2013 after Kong rang her husband to tell him about the affair.

Mr Brown said the victim and Kong had been invited separately to dinner at a friend's house in Dandenong North on December 19, 2013, but when Kong arrived, the victim left and walked to her car.

Kong stopped her from leaving and they argued for an hour about their relationship. Kong told the victim he didn't have anything else in his life but her.

As the victim sat in the car, Kong suddenly grabbed her and slapped and punched her in the face.

Mr Brown said the victim was confused and momentarily blacked out as blood trickled down her face and Kong continued punching her.

The victim tried to scream for help but Kong twisted and squeezed her neck and tried to block her mouth and nose so she couldn't breathe.

Kong told the woman: "If I can't have you, no-one can. We can die together".

Mr Brown said the terrified victim believed Kong was capable of killing her because he was being so violent.

Kong eventually pulled the victim out of the car, sat on top of her when she was lying face down and began banging her head on the ground.

Kong then repeatedly kicked her before she managed to scream for help and a friend came out and pushed Kong off her. Kong then told the victim: "Please forgive me. Give me another chance."

Police were called and the victim spent the next three days in hospital.

Kong had been on parole at the time after being jailed in NSW in 2008 for seven years with a non-parole period of four years for attacking his former partner.

Defence lawyer Tony Danos told the court Kong had migrated to Australia from Cambodia in 1983 and was living with his elderly mother in Noble Park when he committed the latest offences.

Mr Danos said he was interviewing Kong after his arrest when the interpreter told him Kong was regarded as the "Frank Sinatra of the Cambodian community".

Kong had returned to Cambodia in 1998 and wrote a hit song before moving back to Australia four years later.

Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said domestic violence was unfortunately committed by people who held all sorts of positions in society.

Kong was remanded to appear again at later date.