Lynn man charged with punching girlfriend in face

LYNN – A judge ordered a city man held on previous domestic assault charges after police said they saw the man punch his girlfriend in the face on Union Street late Sunday night.”This is clearly not the first time this has happened, as the only other case on the defendant’s record involves the same victim,” Essex Assistant District Attorney Erin Bellavia said in Lynn District Court Monday.Pablo Alvarez, 38, of 22 Henry Ave. #1, was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the presence of a police officer; domestic assault and battery; and violation of a city knife ordinance; at 12:04 a.m. Monday.Police driving down Union Street at approximately 11:49 p.m. Sunday reported seeing a man, later identified as Alvarez, punch a woman in the face, according to a report by Lynn Police Officer Jessica Lee. The punch sent the alleged victim’s head against the window of a store, according to police.Police reported finding a large knife on Alvarez when arresting him.Bellavia requested $1,500 cash bail for the new charges. She also requested the judge revoke bail on a previous case where she said Alvarez was “hitting the victim so hard that he broke her teeth.”Bellavia said the Commonwealth requested $1,000 cash bail on that matter, but Alvarez was released on personal recognizance and told not to abuse the alleged victim.Court-appointed defense attorney Joseph MacDonald said the alleged victim said there “was inadvertent contact when they came out of the store.”The alleged victim asked Alvarez not be held on either the previous or new charges, MacDonald reported.Lynn District Court Judge Mary McCabe ordered Alvarez held for up to 90 days on the prior charges and ordered he stay away and have no contact with the alleged victim as a condition of release on the new charges.Alvarez is scheduled to return to court May 12.