Mechanical fitter Dale Krieg escapes jail for brutal attacks on partner

A foster dad who subjected his partner to a night of terror – attacking her with a knife and detailing his plans to “cut her up” and bury her in the backyard – has learned his fate in court.

A mechanical fitter had been arguing with his partner over the pair’s two foster children, house renovations and financial difficulties when he inflicted “a violent and sustained attack” on the woman, a court has hard.

Dale Krieg, 36, was found guilty by a jury in the Adelaide District Court for committing five offences against his now ex-partner on November 1, 2019.

Krieg – who had two foster children aged four and five with the victim at the time of the attack – was found guilty of two counts of aggravated threatening to cause harm, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated assault causing harm.

The court heard Krieg and the victim were drinking together when she went to bed and fell asleep, only to be woken by him shining a torch in her eyes.

Krieg pinned the victim down on the bed before mumbling “I can kill you right now, I’ll stab you, I’ll cut you up into pieces. I could kill you right now if I wanted to. You’re a piece of sh*t.”

After leaving the room for a short period, Krieg returned with a knife, pointing it at the victim’s stomach, face and neck and saying “I’m going to kill you, I’ll kill you and dig a hole in the yard with a bobcat and bury your body, no one will find you there. You’re dead, I’m going to kill you, you’re a piece of sh*t.”

The court heard Krieg put his hand in the victim’s mouth and attempted to stick his fingers down her throat, while also putting two fingers up her nostrils.

He also pulled her hair, slapped her face and bit her on the nose, shoulder, cheek and ear during the attack.

Dale Krieg threatened to dig a hole in his backyard and bury his partner in it. Picture: iStock

Judge Liesl Kudelka said the brutal assault had a “life changing” impact on the victim.

“She trusted you and you betrayed that trust. Because of what you did, she lost her life, her home, job and belongings,” Judge Kudelka said.

“She said that your attack has impacted her immensely, even at times debilitating and contemplating suicide to cure the pain of your offending. She now lives with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Her career has been impacted … she has lost confidence, trust in people and finds it hard to maintain relationships.”

The court heard the couple were unable to have children so they decided to foster two children, who were aged four and five at the time of the offending.

They now live with Krieg’s sister.

Krieg’s attack occurred after the pair had been arguing over who was responsible for the two children, as well as renovations in their house and financial difficulties.

Taking into account the isolated nature of Krieg’s offending, Judge Kudelka said there was a “good reason to suspend the sentence”.

She sentenced him to two years and six months imprisonment, fully suspended on condition he enter a good behaviour bond for three years.