‘I felt like a prisoner in my own home’: Malcolm Kevin O’Neil’s victim speaks out after shocking abuse

A victim of shocking domestic violence has told a court her abuser used their child to trap her and force her to stay, bravely confronting the man who made her life a “nightmare”.

A woman has described the “nightmare” of being unable to leave her abusive relationship, with her partner using their child to trap her, a court has heard.

Malcolm Kevin O’Neil, 54, was confronted by his former partner who said she lives in fear he will “hunt her down”.

The woman’s victim impact statement was read out in the Mount Gambier District Court, describing how his abuse has left her with nightmares.

Malcolm Kevin O’Neil, 54, was confronted by his former partner who said she lives in fear he will “hunt her down”. Picture: File

“I felt like a prisoner in my own home, too scared to leave,” the victim said.

“You also wouldn’t allow me to leave and if I did try and you would not let me take my son.

“I would never leave my son — so I was never able to leave and get away to safety.

“You told me you would come for me and hunt me down if I ever left you — that police would have to shoot you down to stop you from coming for me.

“I’m so fearful of you and what you’re capable of.”

The court heard O’Neil punched, choked and rendered the woman unable to breath or scream for help while she clutched their one-year-old baby.

The violent incident occurred after an argument at the Limestone Coast Caravan Park led him to get behind the wheel in search of more booze before crashing on the Jubilee Hwy where he bashed his partner of 20 years.

The blows to her head caused the woman to instantly see “stars”, the court heard.

“The victim states she got out of her car and checked on their son,” a police prosecutor said.

“She got in the front passenger seat with the child and the accused began to punch her to the right side of the face.

“The accused then got out of the car, walked over to the passenger seat and grabbed the victim around the throat with both hands.

“She could feel the pressure on her throat and she could not breathe or scream.”

O’Neil previously pleaded guilty to one count of strangulation and one count of aggravated assault in relation to the 2021, September 3 attack.

He also pleaded guilty to a number of traffic offences including drive under disqualification, drive with prescribed alcohol with a child under 16 and aggravated drive with due care.

O’Neil has been in and out of jail for 21 years, nearly half his life and has a history of domestic violence, a court has heard.

O’Neil’s defence lawyer Jacinta Robinson said the accused did not remember the event and had blacked out after mixing his antipsychotic medication and alcohol.

“Throughout his childhood, he was a victim of physical abuse at the hands of his father and witnessed extensive domestic violence by his father towards his mother,” Ms Robinson said.

O’Neil will next front court in November for sentencing.