Soccer player Steven Shaun Butler jailed for vicious assault on long-term partner

A soccer player who bashed his partner until she was “spitting blood” has been sentenced – with a judge saying he needs to be deterred from doing it to another partner.

A man who left his partner “spitting blood” after she blacked out during one of his attacks has been told by a judge he needs to be deterred from doing it to another partner.

Steven Shaun Butler, 33, is now eligible for parole after he violently bashed his long-term partner and mother of his two children.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Butler forcibly pushed the victim in 2016, causing her to fall backwards.

The court heard the couple were arguing in April 2018 when Butler ran at her.

The victim then went inside and locked the door, with Butler encouraging her to unlock it – ensuring he wouldn’t hurt her.

Steven Butler was jailed for domestic violence. Photo: Facebook

Steven Butler pleaded guilty to multiple assaults. Photo: Facebook

“On unlocking the door, you walked through the door and punched her in the stomach, winding her and causing her to double over in pain,” Chief Judge Michael Evans said.

The court heard the victim was asleep in bed when she woke up to Butler standing over her with a baseball bat on July 8, 2021 at Hillbank.

“Her next memory was sitting in the shower cubicle spitting out blood and wiping it on her pyjamas,” Chief Judge Evans said.

“She was coughing and having trouble breathing.

“She thinks that she blacked out during the assault – she saw you holding the baseball bat but does not recall you using it during the assault.”

Butler then locked the door before leaving and took the victim’s keys, with the victim running out the back door and calling to the neighbour for assistance.

The victim suffered multiple abrasions and bruising.

A victim impact statement was read to the court last month.

The victim said she had lived in a state of numbness for two years and still had nightmares over the offending.

“Throughout those seven years together I would have to walk on eggshells,” she said.

“Everything I ended up doing was always wrong and always had consequences.”

The victim said Butler made her feel she did not belong in the world and turned her into a shell of the person she once was.

“I used to be a happy, bubbly person but this DV relationship has affected every part of my life and will continue to affect me forever,” she said.

“I may not be who I was before I met you but I will get better and I will not let this destroy me forever.”

Butler pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one count of causing harm.

The court heard Butler had completed multiple rehabilitation courses while in custody and was in a new relationship.

The court previously heard Mr Butler played for a northern suburbs soccer club, as well as coached children.

Chief Judge Evans said his sentence must deter Butler from treating any woman or partner in the way he treated his victim.

“Domestic violence is condemned in the community, women deserve to feel safe in a relationship, in the community and particularly in their home and with their children,” he said.

Chief Judge Evans sentenced Butler, who has multiple prior domestic violence convictions, to two years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of one year and three months.

The sentence was backdated to July 11, 2021, meaning Butler is eligible for parole.