Michael Suve McDonald jailed for 23 years for murder of partner Lana Towers at Aldinga Beach

A SUPREME Court judge has decried domestic violence as a “terrible stain on Australian society” when jailing a man for at least 23 years for killing the mother of his children.

A SUPREME Court judge has decried domestic violence as a “terrible stain on Australian society” when jailing a man for at least 23 years for killing the mother of his children.

Justice Tim Stanley today imposed a mandatory life prison term on Michael Suve McDonald, over the bashing murder of his partner, Lana Towers, at their Aldinga Beach home in May 2013.

McDonald, 34, used a vacuum cleaner pole and his fists to inflict dozens of injuries, including a broken hyoid bone, in what Justice Stanley described as a “prolonged and brutal attack”.

McDonald had prior convictions for assaulting Ms Towers dating back to 2008 and was the subject of a domestic violence intervention order at the time of the murder.

“You inflicted a savage and protracted beating on Ms Towers, the nature of her injuries suggest that it was a prolonged attack,” Justice Stanley said.

Justice Stanley said the Australian community had enough of men like McDonald, who regularly beat their partners.

“Domestic violence is a terrible stain on Australian society,” he said.

“Instead of the home being a sanctuary, it becomes a place where fear, intimidation and violence are used as a means of control prevail.”

Justice Stanley said McDonald and Ms Towers’ children — a boy aged five and a girl aged four — would feel the effects of the crime for the rest of their lives.

“You have deprived your two young children of the love and nurturing of their mother to which they were entitled,” he said.

“You have also deprived your children of your own presence and financial support for many years to come.”

The court heard the couple’s son was still experiencing nightmares over the loss of his mother.

“Your children are too young to fully understand the loss of their mother, they are having difficulty understanding that she is never coming back.”

Justice Stanley said friends and family described Ms Towers as a “loyal and forgiving friend” who was devoted to her children.

Outside court, Ms Towers’ mother Joanne Betts said the 23-year minimum term was just.

“That’s what he needed to get, but also it’s a sad day because it came to that, mandatory sentencing on spousal abuse might give these women or men a chance to break that cycle of domestic violence, then I wouldn’t be celebrating Christmas without my daughter,” Ms Betts said.

“Continued assaults on your partner is just not on, mandatory jail sentences will give both people involved a chance to get out of the situation or mend the situation, but they need that time apart, domestic violence is a complicated and tricky situation.”

Ms Betts said her grandchildren were still reeling from the death.

“They are traumatised — they saw a lot of things that kids shouldn’t see — not everything could be said in court,” she said.

“I have the children now and they tell me things every day that happened, things that I wasn’t aware of, it’s horrific what these two little kids have put up with and they loved their mother to death, they loved her to pieces.”

Ms Betts said she and other family members had tried to stop Ms Towers from having contact with McDonald in the final weeks of her life.

“We tried to warn her, towards the end there I sensed a shift where only a mother knows, there was a fear for my daughter’s life,” she said.

“It used to be a silent epidemic, I’ve had this in my own life ... now the signs and awareness are there and if people are courageous enough to take it on there will be less lives lost.”